title: Long-chain acylcarnitines determine ischaemia/reperfusion-induced damage in heart mitochondria.
abstract: The accumulation of long-chain fatty acids (FAs) and their CoA and carnitine esters is observed in the ischaemic myocardium after acute ischaemia/reperfusion. The aim of the present study was to identify harmful FA intermediates and their detrimental mechanisms of action in mitochondria and the ischaemic myocardium. In the present study, we found that the long-chain acyl-CoA and acylcarnitine content is increased in mitochondria isolated from an ischaemic area of the myocardium. In analysing the FA derivative content, we discovered that long-chain acylcarnitines, but not acyl-CoAs, accumulate at concentrations that are harmful to mitochondria. Acylcarnitine accumulation in the mitochondrial intermembrane space is a result of increased carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1) and decreased carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 (CPT2) activity in ischaemic myocardium and it leads to inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation, which in turn induces mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization and stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiac mitochondria. Thanks to protection mediated by acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP), the heart is much better guarded against the damaging effects of acyl-CoAs than against acylcarnitines. Supplementation of perfusion buffer with palmitoylcarnitine (PC) before occlusion resulted in a 2-fold increase in the acylcarnitine content of the heart and increased the infarct size (IS) by 33%. A pharmacologically induced decrease in the mitochondrial acylcarnitine content reduced the IS by 44%. Long-chain acylcarnitines are harmful FA intermediates, accumulating in ischaemic heart mitochondria and inducing inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, decreasing the acylcarnitine content via cardioprotective drugs may represent a novel treatment strategy.
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia ledgars@farm.osi.lv.
authors.forename: Edgars
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Liepinsh
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makrecka-Kuka
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia Riga Stradins University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dzirciema Str 16, Riga LV1007, Latvia.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Volska
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia.
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuka
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia.
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makarova
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia.
authors.forename: Unigunde
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Antone
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia.
authors.forename: Eduards
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sevostjanovs
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia Riga Stradins University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dzirciema Str 16, Riga LV1007, Latvia.
authors.forename: Reinis
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilskersts
authors.affiliation: Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Str 1, Riga LV1067, Latvia.
authors.forename: Arnis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strods
authors.affiliation: Latvian Biomedical Research and Study centre, Ratsupites Str 1, Riga LV1067, Latvia.
authors.forename: Kaspars
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tars
authors.affiliation: Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles Str 21, Riga LV1006, Latvia Riga Stradins University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Dzirciema Str 16, Riga LV1007, Latvia.
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dambrova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008929:Mitochondria, Heart / Q000378:metabolism*; D015428:Myocardial Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: C116917:acylcarnitine; D002334:Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: acylcarnitine; cardioprotection; fatty acids; ischaemia/reperfusion damage; mitochondria