title: Ischemic preconditioning and nicorandil pretreatment improve donor heart preservation.
abstract: The present study investigated the effects of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and nicorandil pretreatment on myocardial storage in a donor heart preservation model. Isolated rat hearts were separated into groups: group 1, non-preconditioned control group; group 2, 2.5 min of normothermic ischemia followed by 15 min of normothermic Langendorff perfusion (one IPC cycle); and group 3, 2 cycles of IPC. All hearts were subsequently stored in University of Wisconsin solution at 4 degrees C for 2, 4 and 6h, and the concentrations of high-energy phosphate metabolites were measured for each time point. Heart function parameters (aortic flow, coronary flow and cardiac output) were measured when the heart was reperfused following the 2, 4 or 6 h of preservation. The effects of nicorandil, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener, on heart function following preservation were also evaluated. Nicorandil was injected intravenously before heart harvesting. The results showed that the energy status was well preserved in the IPC groups. The 2-cycle IPC group showed better recovery of heart function following preservation. Pretreatment with nicorandil also improved functional recovery of the heart following preservation. The present study showed that IPC of the rat heart resulted in improved myocardial energy metabolism and functional recovery after hypothermic preservation, and that nicorandil has potential for pharmacological preconditioning in heart preservation for transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kinki University, School of Medicine, Osakasayama, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaneda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oku
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D020108:Nicorandil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000819:agonists*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D020108:Nicorandil; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate