Reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide during ischemia protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion damage
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is thought to protect against the damaging effects of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, whereas xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) normally causes damage through the generation of reactive oxygen species. In the heart, inorganic nitrite has the potential to act as an endogenous store of NO, liberated specifically during ischemia. Using a detection method that we developed, we report that under ischemic conditions both rat and human homogenized myocardium and the isolated perfused rat heart (Langendorff preparation) generate NO from in a reaction that depends on XOR activity. Functional studies of rat hearts in the Langendorff apparatus showed that nitrite (10 and 100 µM) reduced infarct size from 47.3 ± 2.8% (mean percent of control ± SEM) to 17.9 ± 4.2% and 17.4 ± 1.0%, respectively (P < 0.001), and was associated with comparable improvements in recovery of left ventricular function. This protective effect was completely blocked by the NO scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazole-1-oxyl 3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO). In summary, the generation of NO from •, rather than damaging.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- September 2004
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.0402927101
- Bibcode:
- 2004PNAS..10113683W
- Keywords:
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- PHARMACOLOGY