Nitric oxide in ischemic and reperfused human muscle.
BACKGROUND
Biochemical events explaining the pathology of ischemia-reperfusion in the muscle are still debated. Nitric oxide (NO) has been postulated to be implicated in these phenomena, but the short half-life of this compound makes it difficult to measure.


METHODS
In this paper, we used an amperometric solid-sate sensor to measure NO concentrations in frozen human muscles before, during and after a period of ischemia. We also measured cytochrome oxidase activity and malondialdehyde (MDA).


RESULTS
NO increased during ischemia but it soon returned to normal values upon reperfusion. On the other hand, cytochrome oxidase that also decreased in ischemic muscle did not increase during the reperfusion and malondialdehyde only increased during reperfusion, indicating the occurrence of peroxidative reactions in this situation.


CONCLUSIONS
NO is implicated in the ischemia/reperfusion pathology, but it is difficult to relate whether this is connected to cytochrome oxidase activity and malondialdehyde formation, also modified in this ischemia-reperfusion model.
Corbucci
Gian Giacomo
GG
Istituto di Anestesia e Rianimazione, Università di Cagliari, Italy.
Lettieri
Biagio
B
Damonti
Valter
V
Palombari
Roberto
R
Arienti
Giuseppe
G
Palmerini
Carlo Alberto
CA
D000328:Adult; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000502:physiology; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007511:Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D015424:Reperfusion; D014111:Tourniquets
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV