title: Opposing effects on infarction of delta and kappa opioid receptor activation in the isolated rat heart: implications for ischemic preconditioning.
abstract: Delta-opioid receptors are known to participate in the protection found following ischemic preconditioning (IPC), but the role of kappa-receptors in IPC is currently controversial. Langendorff-perfused rat hearts received 35 min regional ischemia and 2 h reperfusion. PC (2 cycles 5 min global ischemia) substantially reduced infarct size. Pharmacological PC with the delta-agonist DADLE (10 nmol/L) had similar protective effects. However, higher dose DADLE (1 micromol/L) had a less beneficial effect, and in conjunction with the delta-antagonist naltrindole unexpectedly increased infarct size (61.5 +/- 2.0%, p<0.05 v 45.9 +/- 2.4% in controls) suggesting a non-delta effect. The universal kappa-opioid agonist bremazocine (30 nmol/L) increased infarct size (61.3 +/- 1.6%, p<0.05 v controls), an effect abrogated by the selective kappa1-antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (BNI). Since opiates are known to have anti-adrenergic effects, which hypothetically may help to mediate IPC, cyclic AMP levels were measured in DADLE and in bremazocine-treated hearts. Decreased levels of cyclic AMP at the start of the regional ischemic period were found in low dose DADLE hearts (0.485 +/- 0/020, n = 8, vs controls, 0.654 +/- 0.025 nmol/g wet weight, p<0.001), but not in high dose DADLE nor in bremazocine treated hearts. Thus, in the isolated rat heart kappa1-opioid receptor activation exacerbates infarct size through an as yet unknown mechanism, suggesting that there could be an "antipreconditioned state". In contrast, delta-activity mediates protection which may be associated with a reduction of tissue cyclic AMP levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town Medical School Observatory, South Africa.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Aitchison
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Baxter
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Awan
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Yellon
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Opie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006439:Hemodynamics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000502:physiology*; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa / Q000502:physiology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation
chemical_list: D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa