title: Reperfusion injury: does it exist?
abstract: It is well established that reperfusion of the heart is the optimal method of salvaging previously ischemic myocardium. However, the idea of reperfusion injury, i.e. injury caused by the process of reperfusion per se, still remains a controversial issue. In this review, we present mounting evidence supporting the concept that reperfusion injury exists, based on work conducted with adenosine and opioid receptor ligands, and the discovery of two new concepts regarding reperfusion injury: 'postconditioning' (POC) and the reperfusion injury salvage kinase (RISK) signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. ggross@MCW.EDU
authors.forename: Garrett J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Auchampach
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial; D008024:Ligands; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D018047:Receptors, Purinergic P1; D000241:Adenosine