Remifentanil mimics cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning via protein kinase C activation in open chest of rats.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the protective effect of remifentanil preconditioning (RPC) on postischemic hearts is mediated by protein kinase (PKC) activation in comparison with ischemic preconditioning (IPC).


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and their chests were opened. The experiment was performed with chelerythrine (CHE, 2 mg/kg), GF109203X (0.05 mg/kg) protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors administered before RPC (remifentanil 6 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1) x 3 cycle) or IPC, respectively. Infarct size (IS), as a percentage of the area at risk (AAR), was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining.


RESULTS
In groups subjected to IPC and RPC the IS/AAR were significantly reduced (IS/AAR from 52.7%+/-5.5% to 12.9%+/-3.4%, P<0.01 vs CON and 16.2%+/-6.4%, P<0.01 vs CON), respectively. CHE and GF, both PKC inhibitors, administered 5 min before RPC or IPC completely abolished the cardioprotective effect of RPC (IS/AAR: CHE+RPC 51.2%+/-5.0%, GF+RPC 53.6%+/-6.1%, P>0.05 vs CON) or IPC (CHE+IPC 53.7%+/-4.3%, GF+IPC 54.1%+/-6.2%, P>0.05 vs CON). The difference was not significant in any of the hemodynamic parameters between control and treatment groups during ischemia and reperfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
Remifentanil confers myocardial protection against ischemic injury through a mechanism that is similar to IPC and involves PKC activation.
Zhang
Ye
Y
Department of Anesthesiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
Chen
Zhi-wu
ZW
Girwin
Michael
M
Wong
Tak-ming
TM
D000470:Alkaloids; D000818:Animals; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D008297:Male; D008301:Maleimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010617:Phenanthridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077208:Remifentanil
D000470:Alkaloids; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D008301:Maleimides; D010617:Phenanthridines; D010880:Piperidines; C016299:chelerythrine; D011493:Protein Kinase C; C070515:bisindolylmaleimide I; D000077208:Remifentanil