title: Postconditioning in rats and mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For subsequent studies on the molecular mechanisms of postconditioning, we aimed to identify a robust postconditioning protocol in rat and mouse heart.
  
  
  METHODS
  Isolated rat hearts were subjected to different postconditioning protocols (study 1 and 2). The protection was compared to preconditioning. Rats (study 3) in vivo in two different laboratories were postconditioned. Isolated mouse hearts (study 4) and mice in vivo (study 5) were postconditioned.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postconditioning did not protect isolated, perfused rat hearts, however, preconditioning improved function and reduced infarct size. Postconditioning tended to protect rat hearts in vivo in one laboratory (p = 0.10), whereas protection was seen in the other laboratory (infarct size 51+/-11% vs controls 62+/-3%, p = 0.01). Postconditioned mouse hearts were protected, both ex vivo (16+/-9% vs controls 33+/-18%, p = 0.02) and in vivo (21+/-5% vs 42+/-7%, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rat hearts are less suitable for studies of mechanisms of postconditioning. The results suggest that the signaling pathways differ between pre- and postconditioning. Mouse hearts were strongly protected by postconditioning, and genetically engineered mice may be useful for postconditioning research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. m.l.kaljusto@medisin.uio.no
authors.forename: Mari-Liis
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kaljusto
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Syed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohammad Husain Rizvi
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galagudza
authors.forename: Marthe-Lise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Frantzen
authors.forename: Guro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valen
authors.forename: Jarle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaage
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019157:Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion / Q000379:methods*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012107:Research Design; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors