Protective effect of coenzyme Q10-loaded liposomes on the myocardium in rabbits with an acute experimental myocardial infarction.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed whether the infusion of Coenzyme Q10-loaded liposomes (CoQ10-L) in rabbits with an experimental myocardial infarction can result in increased intracellular delivery of CoQ10 and thus limit the fraction of the irreversibly damaged myocardium.


METHODS
CoQ10-L, empty liposomes (EL), or Krebs-Henseleit (KH) buffer were administered by intracoronary infusion, followed by 30 min of occlusion and 3 h of reperfusion. Unisperse Blue dye was used to demarcate the net size of the occlusion-induced ischemic zone ("area at risk") while nitroblue tetrazolium staining was used to detect the final fraction of the irreversibly damaged myocardium within the total area at risk.


RESULTS
The total size of the area at risk in all experimental animals was approx. 20% wt. of the left ventricle (LV). The final irreversible damage in CoQ10-L-treated animals was only ca. 30% of the total area at risk as compared with ca. 60% in the group treated with EL (p < 0.006) and ca. 70% in the KH buffer-treated group (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
CoQ10-L effectively protected the ischemic heart muscle by enhancing the intracellular delivery of CoQ10 in hypoxic cardiocytes in rabbits with an experimental myocardial infarction as evidenced by a significantly decreased fraction of the irreversibly damaged heart within the total area at risk. CoQ10-L may provide an effective exogenous source of the CoQ10 in vivo to protect ischemic cells.
Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Daya D
DD
Verma
William C
WC
Hartner
Vineet
V
Thakkar
Tatyana S
TS
Levchenko
Vladimir P
VP
Torchilin
D000818:Animals; D003067:Coenzymes / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019610:Cytoprotection; D008081:Liposomes; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D011817:Rabbits; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
D003067:Coenzymes; D008081:Liposomes; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10