title: Ethyl pyruvate enhances ATP levels, reduces oxidative stress and preserves cardiac function in a rat model of off-pump coronary bypass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with transient periods of myocardial ischemia during revascularization resulting in myocardial contractile dysfunction and oxidative injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ethyl pyruvate as a myocardial protective agent in a rat model of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting associated with transient myocardial dysfunction without infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats were subjected to transient ischemia via 10 min occlusion of the LAD coronary artery followed by 10 min of reperfusion. Animals received an IV bolus of Ringer's solution as a control (n=10) or Ringer's ethyl pyruvate (n=10) immediately before the initiation of ischemia and reperfusion. Myocardial ATP and lipid peroxidation levels were quantified for an estimation of energetics and oxidative stress, respectively. In vivo cardiac function was assessed throughout the ischemia and reperfusion periods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethyl pyruvate significantly increased myocardial ATP levels compared to controls (2650+/-759 nmol/g versus 892+/-276 nmol/g, p=0.04). Myocardial oxidative stress was significantly reduced in animals treated with ethyl pyruvate compared to controls (70.4+/-2.6 nmol/g versus 81.8+/-2.4 nmol/g, p=0.04). dP/dt max and cardiac output were significantly greater in the ethyl pyruvate group compared to controls during ischemia and reperfusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethyl pyruvate enhances myocardial ATP levels, reduces oxidative stress, and preserves myocardial function in a model of transient ischemia/reperfusion injury not subject to myocardial infarction.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Silverstein 4, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Todd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Grand
authors.forename: Jeffrey E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Vivien
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zentko
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Y Joseph
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Woo
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D047549:Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011773:Pyruvates / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017725:Ventricular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D011773:Pyruvates; C046522:ethyl pyruvate; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate