Donate Help Contact The AHA Sign In Home
American Heart Association
Circulation Research
Search: search_blue_button Advanced Search
Circulation Research. 1997;81:1094-1107

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bolli, R.
Right arrow Articles by Jadoon, A. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bolli, R.
Right arrow Articles by Jadoon, A. K.
(Circulation Research. 1997;81:1094-1107.)
© 1997 American Heart Association, Inc.


Articles

The Protective Effect of Late Preconditioning Against Myocardial Stunning in Conscious Rabbits Is Mediated by Nitric Oxide Synthase

Evidence That Nitric Oxide Acts Both as a Trigger and as a Mediator of the Late Phase of Ischemic Preconditioning

Roberto Bolli, Srinivas Manchikalapudi, Xian-Liang Tang, Hitoshi Takano, Yumin Qiu, Yiru Guo, Qin Zhang, , Asad K. Jadoon

From the Experimental Research Laboratory, Division of Cardiology, University of Louisville (Ky).

Correspondence to Roberto Bolli, MD, Division of Cardiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292. E-mail rObollO1{at}ulkyvm.louisville.edu


*    Abstract
up arrowTop
*Abstract
down arrowIntroduction
down arrowMaterials and Methods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
Abstract Seventy-four conscious rabbits undergoing a sequence of six 4-minute coronary occlusion/4-minute reperfusion cycles for 3 consecutive days (days 1, 2, and 3) were assigned to nine groups. In group I (controls, n=8), the recovery of systolic wall thickening (WTh) after the sixth reperfusion was markedly improved on days 2 and 3 compared with day 1, indicating late preconditioning (PC) against myocardial stunning; the total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion was reduced by 56% on day 2 and 50% on day 3 compared with day 1 (P<.01). Administration on day 2 of the nonselective NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor N{omega}-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) (group II, n=8) or of the selective inducible NOS inhibitors aminoguanidine (AG) (group IV, n=8) and S-methylisothiourea sulfate (SMT) (group VI, n=6) completely abrogated late PC against stunning on day 2. On day 3, the expected PC effect became manifest in all groups. Administration of L-NA, AG, or SMT on day 1 (groups III [n=7], V [n=6], and VII [n=5], respectively) had no discernible effect on the deficit of WTh on day 1, indicating that these agents do not augment the severity of myocardial stunning in nonpreconditioned myocardium. In group VIII (n=7), the abrogation of late PC by SMT on day 2 was completely reversed by the concomitant administration of L-arginine (595 mg/kg IV), indicating that it was not due to nonspecific NOS-unrelated actions. Administration of L-arginine alone on day 2 (group IX [n=5]) had no effect on the deficit of WTh. Furthermore, administration of L-NA on day 1 (group III) prevented the appearance of the PC effect on day 2, whereas AG (group V) and SMT (group VI) did not, suggesting that the development of late PC on day 1 is triggered by the endothelial (type III) isoform of NOS. This study demonstrates that three structurally different NOS inhibitors (L-NA, AG, and SMT), given 24 hours after the PC ischemia, consistently abrogate late PC against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits, indicating that this cardioprotective effect is mediated by the activity of NOS. The results obtained with AG and SMT specifically implicate the inducible (type II) isoform as the mediator of the protection on day 2. Previous studies have shown that NO triggers the development of late PC. The present results indicate that NO plays a dual role in late PC against stunning, acting initially as the trigger and subsequently as the mediator of the protection.


Key Words: myocardial reperfusion • N{omega}-nitro-L-arginine • aminoguanidine • S-methylisothiourea sulfate • L-arginine


*    Introduction
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
*Introduction
down arrowMaterials and Methods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
The cardioprotective effects of ischemic PC occur in two temporally distinct phases: an early phase, which develops immediately and wanes within 2 to 4 hours after the PC challenge,1–6 and a second (or late) phase, which begins after 12 to 24 hours and lasts for 3 to 4 days.7–16 Although recent evidence indicates that the development of late PC against myocardial stunning is triggered by the generation of NO14 and ROS12 during the initial ischemic challenge, the cellular mechanism(s) that mediates the protection against stunning 1 to 4 days later, during the second ischemic challenge, remains unknown.17 Identification of the mediator(s) of protection is among the most important, if not the most important, unresolved issues that currently limit our understanding of the late phase of ischemic PC.

One cellular mediator that could account for the beneficial effects of late PC on myocardial stunning is NO. NO or its second messenger, cGMP, has been shown to exert a number of actions that would be expected to be beneficial during myocardial ischemia, including antagonism of the effects of ß-adrenergic stimulation,18,19 inhibition of Ca2+ influx into myocytes,20,21 decrease in myocardial contractility,19,22–25 and reduction in myocardial oxygen consumption.26–29 The reduced Ca2+ current may alleviate the Ca2+ overload associated with acute myocardial ischemia, which is one of the major mechanisms of myocardial stunning.30 The antiadrenergic action and the decrease in oxygen consumption may preserve high-energy phosphates during ischemia, thereby minimizing cellular injury and enhancing postischemic recovery of contractility. The concept that NO protects against myocardial stunning is supported by the results of Hasebe et al,31 who found that inhibition of NO production with L-NA exacerbated myocardial stunning in conscious dogs independent of changes in myocardial blood flow and proposed that NO exerts a direct antistunning effect.

In the present study, we hypothesized that the protective effects of late PC against myocardial stunning are mediated by augmented NO formation secondary to ischemia-induced alterations of NOS gene expression. A large investigation was designed to test this hypothesis under conditions as physiological as possible. Using a well-characterized conscious rabbit model of late PC against myocardial stunning,14–16 we examined whether the protective effects of late PC were abolished by the administration of NOS inhibitors before the second ischemic challenge, 24 hours after the initial PC isch- emia. Three different inhibitors of NOS were tested. To determine whether late PC is mediated by NO synthesis, irrespective of the NOS isotype(s) involved, we examined the nonselective NOS inhibitor L-NA, which inhibits all three isoforms of the enzyme.32 To specifically investigate the role of iNOS, we also examined two selective iNOS inhibitors (AG33 and SMT34). To positively rule out the possibility of nonspecific actions of the NOS inhibitors used, we examined whether the inhibition of late PC by SMT could be reversed by the simultaneous administration of the NOS substrate, L-arginine. The study was conducted in conscious animals to eliminate the confounding effects of factors associated with open-chest preparations, such as anesthesia, surgical trauma, fluctuations in temperature, elevated catecholamines, excessive free radical formation, and release of cytokines, which could, in themselves, induce iNOS35 and also interfere with myocardial stunning36–38 or with PC.4,5,39,40 The results demonstrate that all three NOS inhibitors (L-NA, AG, and SMT) consistently abrogate late PC against stunning, implicating NOS as a mediator of the protection.


*    Materials and Methods
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
*Materials and Methods
down arrowResults
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
Experimental Preparation
The experimental preparation has been described in detail previously14,15 and will be briefly summarized here. New Zea- land White male rabbits (weight, 2.8±0.1 kg; age, 3 to 4 months) were instrumented under sterile conditions with a balloon occluder around a major branch of the left coronary artery, a 10-MHz pulsed Doppler ultrasonic crystal in the center of the region to be rendered ischemic, and bipolar ECG leads on the chest wall. The chest wound was closed in layers, and a small tube was left in the thorax for 3 days to evacuate air and fluids postoperatively. Gentamicin was administered before surgery and on the first and second postoperative days (0.7 mg/kg IM each day). Rabbits were allowed to recover for a minimum of 10 days after surgery.

Experimental Protocol
Throughout the experiments, rabbits were kept in a cage in a quiet dimly lit room. LV systolic WTh, range gate depth, and the ECG were continuously recorded on a thermal array chart recorder (Gould TA6000). No sedative or antiarrhythmic agents were given at any time. The experimental protocol consisted of 3 consecutive days of coronary artery occlusions (days 1, 2, and 3) (Fig 1Down). On each day, the rabbits underwent a sequence of six 4-minute coronary occlusions interspersed with 4 minutes of reperfusion. The performance of successful coronary occlusions was verified by observing the development of ST-segment elevation and changes in the QRS complex on the ECG and the appearance of paradoxical systolic wall thinning on the ultrasonic crystal recordings.



View larger version (86K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 1. Experimental protocol. Nine groups of rabbits were studied. All groups underwent a sequence of six 4-minute coronary occlusion/4-minute reperfusion (4'O/4'R) cycles followed by a 5-hour observation period for 3 consecutive days (days 1, 2, and 3). Rabbits in group I (n=8, control group) received no treatment. Rabbits in group II (n=8, L-NA–treated group) received an intravenous infusion of L-NA at a rate of 1.3 mg · kg-1 · min-1 starting 20 minutes and ending 10 minutes before the first coronary occlusion on day 2 (total dose, 13 mg/kg). Rabbits in group III (n=7, L-NA–pretreated group) received the same dose of L-NA on day 1. Rabbits in group IV (n=8, AG-treated group) received a subcutaneous injection of AG (150 mg/kg) 1 hour before the first coronary occlusion on day 2. Rabbits in group V (n=6, AG-pretreated group) received the same dose of AG 1 hour before the first coronary occlusion on day 1. Rabbits in group VI (n=6, SMT-treated group) received 10 intravenous bolus doses of SMT (0.05 mg/kg each) every 8 minutes, starting 18 minutes before the first coronary occlusion and ending 10 minutes after the sixth reperfusion on day 2 (total dose, 0.5 mg/kg). Rabbits in group VII (n=5, SMT-pretreated group) received the same dose of SMT on day 1. Rabbits in group VIII (n=7, SMT+L-arginine–treated group) received on day 2 the same dose of SMT given to group VI in conjunction with an intravenous infusion of L-arginine starting 28 minutes before the first coronary occlusion and ending 25 minutes after the sixth reperfusion (total dose, 595 mg/kg). Rabbits in group IX (n=5, L-arginine–treated group) received on day 2 the same dose of L-arginine given to group VIII without SMT.

Rabbits were assigned to nine groups (Fig 1Up). Group I (control rabbits) underwent the coronary occlusion/reperfusion protocol on days 1, 2, and 3 without any treatment. In group II, rabbits received an intravenous infusion of L-NA before the first coronary occlusion on day 2 (1.3 mg · kg-1 · min-1 for 10 minutes, starting 20 minutes before and ending 10 minutes before the first occlusion; total dose, 13 mg/kg). L-NA (Sigma Chemical Co) was dissolved in normal saline (total volume infused, 20 mL). In group III, rabbits received L-NA according to the same protocol used in group II, except that the treatment was given on day 1 instead of day 2. In group IV, rabbits received a subcutaneous injection of AG (150 mg/kg) 1 hour before the first coronary occlusion on day 2. AG hydrochloride (Aldrich Chemical Co) was dissolved in 2 mL of water, and the pH of the solution was adjusted to 7.4 with 0.1N NaOH. In group V, rabbits received the same dose of AG (150 mg/kg) 1 hour before the first coronary occlusion on day 1. AG was given 1 hour before ischemia, because based on the slow onset of its vascular actions41,42 and the increase in its potency with time of preincubation,33,42,43 this compound is thought to enter the intracellular space relatively slowly.32 In group VI, rabbits underwent the six-cycle occlusion/reperfusion protocol with no treatment on day 1. On day 2, they were given 10 consecutive intravenous boluses of SMT (0.05 mg/kg over 30 seconds) every 8 minutes, starting 18 minutes before the first coronary occlusion and ending 10 minutes after the sixth reperfusion (total dose, 0.5 mg/kg). SMT sulfate (FW:278, Aldrich Chemical Co) was dissolved in normal saline (0.5 mg/mL, pH {approx}6.0); the total volume injected was 0.1 mLx10xbody weight ({approx}2.8 mL). In group VII, rabbits were given SMT according to the same protocol used in group VI, except that the treatment was given on day 1 instead of day 2. In group VIII, rabbits received SMT on day 2 as in group VI; in addition, on day 2 they were given an intravenous infusion of L-arginine starting 28 minutes before the first coronary occlusion and ending 25 minutes after the sixth reperfusion (rate of infusion, 16 mg · kg-1 · min-1 for the first 10 minutes and then 5 mg · kg-1 · min-1 until the end of the infusion; total dose, 595 mg/kg). L-Arginine hydrochloride (Sigma) was dissolved in normal saline (200 mg/mL, pH 7.4); the total volume infused was 3 mL/kg. In group IX, rabbits were given L-arginine on day 2 (same dose as in group VIII) without SMT. The solutions of L-NA, AG, SMT, and L-arginine were filtered through a 0.2-µm Millipore filter to ensure sterility. The dose of L-NA was selected on the basis of our previous experience,14 whereas the doses of AG, SMT, and L-arginine were chosen on the basis of the pilot studies reported below in "Results." At the conclusion of the study, the rabbits were euthanized, and the size of the occluded/reperfused coronary vascular bed was determined as described.14

Measurement of Regional Myocardial Function
Regional myocardial function was assessed as systolic thickening fraction using the pulsed Doppler probe, as previously described.44 The beginning of systole was determined from the peak of the QRS complex; the end of systole, from the notch separating the larger (systolic) from the smaller (diastolic) increase in thickness on the WTh tracings. (Pilot studies using a high-fidelity Millar pressure transducer demonstrated that the peak of the QRS complex corresponded exactly to the onset of the rapid upstroke of LV pressure and that the notch in the WTh tracing occurred within 2 milliseconds from the peak negative LV dP/dt; in these studies, the measurements of WTh obtained using LV pressure and dP/dt as a reference system were identical to those obtained using the QRS complex and the notch in the WTh tracing.) Percent systolic thickening fraction was calculated as the ratio of net systolic thickening to end-diastolic wall thickness, multiplied by 100.44 The total deficit of systolic WTh after reperfusion (an integrative assessment of the overall severity of myocardial stunning after the sixth reperfusion) was calculated by measuring the area between the systolic WTh-versus-time line and the baseline (100% line) during the 5-hour recovery phase after the sixth reperfusion.11–15,36,37 In all animals, measurements were averaged from at least 10 beats at baseline and from at least five beats at all subsequent time points.

Statistical Analysis
Data are reported as mean±SEM. For intragroup comparisons, hemodynamic variables and WTh were analyzed by a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA (time and day) to determine whether there was a main effect of time, a main effect of day, or a day-by-time interaction. If the global tests showed a significant main effect or interaction, post hoc contrasts between different time points on the same day or between different days at the same time point were performed with Student's t tests for paired data, and the resulting P values were adjusted according to the Bonferroni correction. For intergroup comparisons, continuous variables were analyzed by either a one-way or a two-way repeated-measures (time and group) ANOVA, as appropriate, followed by unpaired Student's t tests with the Bonferroni correction. All statistical analyses were performed using the SAS software system.45 Two-way ANOVA was performed using the procedure GLM (General Linear Models).45


*    Results
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMaterials and Methods
*Results
down arrowDiscussion
down arrowReferences
 
Exclusions
A total of 96 conscious rabbits were used in the present study (22 for the pilot studies and 74 for the studies of late PC). Of the 74 rabbits instrumented for the studies of late PC, 14 (19%) were excluded for the reasons specified in Table 1Down.


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 1. Reasons for Excluding Rabbits From the Study

Pilot Studies
Pilot studies were conducted in 22 conscious rabbits to identify doses of AG, SMT, and L-arginine that have no effect on heart rate and arterial pressure. This was necessary for two reasons: (1) since the severity of myocardial stunning is modulated by afterload,38 changes in arterial pressure would confound the assessment of recovery of function, and (2) the lack of changes in arterial pressure after treatment with AG and SMT would confirm that the doses used produce a selective inhibition of iNOS with no effect on vascular eNOS. Arterial pressure was measured by cannulating the ear dorsal artery with a 23-gauge angiocatheter. The catheter was connected to a fluid-filled high-sensitivity pressure transducer, which was connected to a pressure analyzer (model BPA-109 Micro-Med).

In 3 rabbits, a dose of 100 mg/kg of AG given intravenously over 5 minutes caused a sustained (>2-hour) decrease in heart rate and arterial pressure (the decrease in heart rate was abolished by atropine [data not shown]). In contrast, in 3 other rabbits, 150 mg/kg of AG given subcutaneously caused no change in heart rate (239±27 bpm before AG versus 236±26 bpm at 5 minutes, 248±18 bpm at 1 hour, and 253±23 bpm at 3 hours after AG), mean arterial pressure (89±3 mm Hg before AG versus 86±4 mm Hg at 15 minutes, 88±3 mm Hg at 1 hour, and 86±3 mm Hg at 3 hours after AG), or systolic thickening fraction (30.4±3.2% before AG versus 29.5±3.0% at 5 minutes, 29.8±2.9% at 15 minutes, 31.0±4.3% at 1 hour, and 31.1±3.8% at 3 hours after AG). Consequently, this dose of AG was chosen for the present experiments.

In 8 rabbits, decreasing doses of SMT were injected intravenously over 30 seconds (0.5, 0.1, 0.075, and 0.05 mg/kg). The highest dose that did not change heart rate or arterial pressure was 0.05 mg/kg (higher doses increased arterial pressure). At higher doses, it was found that the hemodynamic effects of all bolus doses of SMT subsided completely within 5 to 10 minutes, suggesting that the inhibition of NOS by this agent dissipates quickly in the conscious rabbit. Because of this short duration of action of SMT, we designed a protocol in which 10 hemodynamically inactive doses of SMT (0.05 mg/kg each) were injected intravenously at 8-minute intervals (the rationale was to produce continuous inhibition of iNOS for at least 80 minutes [an interval that would cover the entire sequence of six 4-minute occlusion/4-minute reperfusion cycles] without causing hemodynamic changes). In 3 other rabbits treated according to this protocol, SMT had no appreciable hemodynamic effect; eg, mean arterial pressure averaged 77 mm Hg before SMT and 76 mm Hg at 30 minutes, 75 mm Hg at 1 hour, and 75 mm Hg at 3 hours after SMT, whereas thickening fraction averaged 41% before SMT and 42% at 30 minutes, 42% at 1 hour, and 43% at 3 hours after SMT. Consequently, this protocol for SMT administration was chosen for the present experiments.

Dose-ranging studies in 5 rabbits demonstrated that the highest intravenous infusion rate of L-arginine that could be administered in conjunction with our dosage of SMT without changing heart rate was 16 mg · kg-1 · min-1 for 10 minutes followed by 5 mg · kg-1 · min-1, starting 10 minutes before the first dose of SMT and ending 25 minutes after the sixth reperfusion (higher infusion rates caused an increase in heart rate). Consequently, this dose of L-arginine was chosen for the present experiments.

Postmortem Analysis
The size of the occluded/reperfused vascular bed was similar in the nine groups: 1.18±0.14 g (20.6±1.8% of LV weight) in group I, 0.89±0.12 g (18.6±2.4%) in group II, 1.09±0.15 g (19.8±0.6%) in group III, 1.24±0.22 g (21.3±2.1%) in group IV, 1.31±0.24 g (21.7±2.2%) in group V, 1.15±0.33 g (19.7±3.5%) in group VI, 1.01±0.10 g (18.2±2.2%) in group VII, 1.17±0.31 g (19.7±3.4%) in group VIII, and 1.14±0.46 g (20.3±7.2%) in group IX. Tissue staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride demonstrated the absence of infarction in all of the rabbits included in the final analysis. In all animals, the ultrasonic crystal was found to be at least 3 mm from the boundaries of the isch- emic/reperfused region.

Regional Myocardial Function
As shown in Table 2Down, in groups II and III the administration of L-NA produced a sustained decrease in heart rate that persisted up to 5 hours after the sixth reperfusion. As a result, the heart rate was significantly lower on day 2 in group II and on day I in group III compared with the corresponding values in group I (control group) (Table 2Down). The decreases in heart rate elicited by L-NA in groups II and III were similar (Table 2Down). On the days when L-NA was not given, there were no appreciable differences in heart rate among groups I, II, and III (Table 2Down). The heart rate did not differ significantly in groups IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX versus group I during the sequence of coronary occlusion/reperfusion cycles or during the 5-hour reperfusion period on day 1, 2, or 3 (Table 2Down).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 2. Heart Rate During Coronary Occlusion and Reperfusion

The measurements of baseline systolic thickening fraction on days 1, 2, and 3 are summarized in the legends to Figs 2 to 10DownDownDownDownDownDownDownDownDown ; there were no significant differences among the nine groups on the same day or among different days within the same group. Compared with baseline (pretreatment) values, the measurements of thickening fraction obtained after treatment (immediately before the first coronary occlusion [preocclusion values]) were virtually unchanged in all groups (Figs 3 to 10DownDownDownDownDownDownDownDown), indicating that L-NA, AG, SMT, and L-arginine had no significant effect on regional myocardial function. The changes in thickening fraction associated with coronary occlusion and reperfusion will be described first for the control group and then for the treated groups.



View larger version (28K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 2. Systolic thickening fraction in the ischemic/reperfused region in group I (control group) 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by the continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=8 for all 3 days). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 36.3±1.7% on day 1, 34.8±2.4% on day 2, and 35.8±2.1% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (29K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 3. Systolic thickening fraction in the isch- emic/reperfused region in group II (L-NA–treated group) before administration of L-NA (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by the continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=8 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Baseline thickening fraction averaged 38.5±2.8% on day 1, 37.6±3.5% on day 2, and 36.3±2.9% on day 3. Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 4. Systolic thickening fraction in the isch- emic/reperfused region in group III (L-NA–pretreated group) before administration of L-NA (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by the continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=7 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Baseline thickening fraction averaged 35.0±3.0% on day 1, 36.2±3.1% on day 2, and 32.8±2.1% on day 3. Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 5. Systolic thickening fraction in the ischemic/reperfused region in group IV (AG-treated group) before administration of AG (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by the continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=8 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of preocclusion values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 32.9±2.4% on day 1, 33.1±3.0% on day 2, and 32.6±2.8% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (31K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 6. Systolic thickening fraction in the isch- emic/reperfused region in group V (AG-pretreated group) before administration of AG (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by the continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=6 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 38.9±3.6% on day 1, 34.7±3.5% on day 2, and 34.7±3.3% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 7. Systolic thickening fraction in the ischemic/reperfused region in group VI (SMT-treated group) before administration of SMT (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=6 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 41.2±7.8% on day 1, 40.3±7.5% on day 2, and 40.4±7.3% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 8. Systolic thickening fraction in the ischemic/reperfused region in group VII (SMT-pretreated group) before administration of SMT (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=5 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 37.2±5.0% on day 1, 36.3±3.7% on day 2, and 37.4±3.7% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (34K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 9. Systolic thickening fraction in the ischemic/reperfused region in group VIII (SMT+L-arginine–treated group) before administration of SMT+L-arginine (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=7 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 39.7±3.2% on day 1, 43.6±2.9% on day 2, and 42.7±1.5% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.



View larger version (33K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 10. Systolic thickening fraction in the isch- emic/reperfused region in group IX (L-arginine–treated group) before administration of L-arginine (baseline), 1 minute before the first occlusion (preocclusion [Pre-O]), 3 minutes into each coronary occlusion, 3 minutes into each reperfusion, and at selected times during the 5-hour reperfusion interval following the sixth occlusion. O/R indicates occlusion/reperfusion. Measurements taken on day 1 are represented by the dashed line with open circles, measurements taken on day 2 are represented by continuous line with solid circles, and measurements taken on day 3 are represented by the interrupted line with solid triangles (n=5 for all 3 days). To facilitate comparisons, the data pertaining to day 1 of group I (control group) are also shown (thick interrupted line without symbols, n=8). Thickening fraction is expressed as a percentage of Pre-O values. Baseline thickening fraction averaged 47.9±3.9% on day 1, 46.3±3.3% on day 2, and 47.1±4.0% on day 3. Data are mean±SEM.

Group I (Control Group)
On day 1, thickening fraction remained significantly (P<.05) depressed for 4 hours after the sixth reperfusion and returned to values not significantly different from preocclusion values by 5 hours (Fig 2Up). Thus, the sequence of six 4-minute occlusion/4-minute reperfusion cycles resulted in severe myocardial stunning that lasted, on average, 4 hours. On day 2, the recovery of WTh was markedly improved throughout the first 4 hours of reperfusion compared with day 1 (Fig 2Up). The total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion was 56% less on day 2 compared with day 1 (P<.01) (Figs 11Down and 12Down). On day 3, the recovery of WTh after the six 4-minute occlusions was again enhanced compared with day 1 and similar to that observed on day 2 (Fig 2Up); the total deficit of WTh was 50% less compared with day 1 (P<.01) (Figs 11Down and 12Down). Thus, myocardial stunning was attenuated markedly, and to a similar extent, on days 2 and 3 compared with day 1.



View larger version (32K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 11. Individual values of total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion on days 1, 2, and 3 in the control (n=8), L-NA–treated (n=8), L-NA–pretreated (n=7), AG-treated (n=8), AG-pretreated (n=6), SMT-treated (n=6), SMT-pretreated (n=5), SMT+L-arginine–treated (n=7), and L-arginine–treated (n=5) groups (groups I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX, respectively). Pre indicates pretreatment.



View larger version (44K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Figure 12. Total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion on days 1, 2, and 3 in the control (n=8), L-NA–treated (n=8), L-NA–pretreated (n=7), AG-treated (n=8), AG-pretreated (n=6), SMT-treated (n=6), SMT-pretreated (n=5), SMT+L-arginine–treated (n=7), and L-arginine–treated (n=5) groups (groups I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX, respectively). Data are mean±SEM. Pre indicates pretreatment.

Group II (L-NA–Treated Group)
On day 1, both the thickening fraction (Fig 3Up) and the total deficit of WTh (Figs 11Up and 12Up) were comparable to those observed in the control group. On day 2, however, the results were quite different: unlike the pattern observed in control rabbits, in L-NA–treated rabbits the recovery of WTh during the 5-hour final reperfusion period was not improved compared with day 1 (Fig 3Up), so that the total deficit of WTh did not differ significantly from that observed on day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up). The total deficit of WTh on day 2 was 103% greater than the corresponding value in control rabbits (P<.01) and was similar to that observed in control rabbits on day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up). On day 3, however, the recovery of WTh in L-NA–treated rabbits was markedly improved compared with day 2 (Fig 3Up) and was similar to that noted on day 3 in the control group (Fig 2Up). The total deficit of WTh was 49% less than that observed on day 2 in the same animals (P<.01) and was comparable to that noted on day 3 in control rabbits (Figs 11Up and 12Up). Thus, administration of L-NA on day 2 completely abrogated the protective effect of late PC; when L-NA was not administered (day 3), a full PC effect became apparent.

Group III (L-NA–Pretreated Group)
These rabbits received L-NA as in group II, except that the agent was administered on day 1 instead of day 2. On day 1, there were no differences in the recovery of WTh during the 5 hours of reperfusion between this group and the control group (Fig 4Up); accordingly, the total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion was comparable to that observed in control rabbits on day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up). Consistent with our previous results,14 the thickening fraction and the total deficit of WTh remained essentially unchanged on day 2 vis-à-vis day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up), indicating that L-NA prevented the development of late PC. On day 3, the expected PC effect became apparent (Figs 4Up, 11Up, and 12Up). Thus, administration of L-NA on day 1 did not augment the severity of myocardial stunning on the same day, indicating that the absence of late PC against stunning observed on day 2 in group II reflects a specific inhibition of the PC effect, not an inherent detrimental action of L-NA on myocardial stunning.

Groups IV (AG-Treated Group) and VI (SMT-Treated Group)
Similar to the results obtained in group II, in groups IV and VI the recovery of WTh after the sixth reperfusion on day 2 was not improved compared with day 1 (Figs 5Up and 7Up); as a result, the total deficit of WTh on day 2 was not less than that observed on day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up). On day 3, however, the recovery of WTh in groups IV and VI was significantly faster than on day 2 (Figs 5Up and 7Up), and the deficit of WTh was 64% and 58% less, respectively, than that noted on day 2 (P<.01) (Figs 11Up and 12Up). Thus, late PC against stunning was completely abrogated by AG and SMT on day 2 but was fully expressed in the absence of AG and SMT on day 3.

Groups V (AG-Pretreated Group) and VII (SMT-Pretreated Group)
These rabbits received AG or SMT as in groups IV and VI, respectively, except that the drug was given on day 1 instead of day 2. On day 1, the recovery of WTh during the 5 hours of reperfusion was similar to that observed on day 1 in the control group (Figs 6Up and 8Up), so that the total deficit of WTh after the sixth reperfusion did not differ significantly from that observed in control rabbits on day 1 (Figs 11Up and 12Up). On days 2 and 3, the recovery of WTh was significantly improved compared with day 1 (Figs 6Up and 8Up), and the total deficit of WTh was comparable to that observed on days 2 and 3 in control rabbits (Figs 11Up and 12Up). Thus, similar to the results obtained with L-NA, administration of AG or SMT on day 1 did not exacerbate the severity of myocardial stunning on the same day, indicating that the absence of late PC against stunning observed on day 2 in groups IV and VI reflects a specific inhibition of the PC effect, not an inherent deleterious action of AG or SMT on the postischemic recovery of myocardial contractility. It should also be noted that the inability of AG and SMT to prevent late PC in groups V and VII, in contrast to the effects of L-NA in group III, further supports their selectivity for iNOS: if either AG or SMT had inhibited eNOS on day 1, it should have blocked the development of late PC, as was observed with L-NA.

Group VIII (SMT+L-Arginine–Treated Group)
This group was studied to rule out the possibility that the inhibition of late PC against stunning effected by SMT in group VI may have been caused by nonspecific actions of SMT on enzymes other than NOS. On day 2, rabbits received SMT (same dose as in group VI) in conjunction with L-arginine. On day 1, there were no differences in the recovery of WTh between this group and the control group (Figs 9Up, 11Up, and 12Up). In contrast to group VI, however, on day 2 the recovery of WTh in group VIII was significantly faster than on day 1 (Fig 9Up), and the total deficit of WTh was comparable to that observed on day 2 in control rabbits (Figs 11Up and 12Up). On day 3, the recovery of WTh was similar to that observed on day 2 (Figs 9Up, 11Up, and 12Up). Thus, in contrast to group VI, in which administration of SMT abrogated late PC on day 2, in group VIII the administration of SMT in conjunction with L-arginine had no effect on late PC against stunning on day 2.

Group IX (L-Arginine–Treated Group)
This group was studied to rule out the possibility that L-arginine in itself alleviated myocardial stunning on day 2 independent of SMT (if this were the case, the attenuation of stunning observed on day 2 in group VIII could be construed as the result of an intrinsic beneficial action of L-arginine on stunning rather than a specific consequence of the antagonism of SMT by L-arginine). On day 2, rabbits received L-arginine (same dose as in group VI) without SMT. There were no differences in the recovery of WTh between group IX and the control group on days 1, 2, and 3 (Figs 10Up, 11Up, and 12Up). Thus, administration of L-arginine on day 2 had no beneficial effect on myocardial stunning on the same day, indicating that the presence of late PC against stunning on day 2 in group VI was not caused by an inherent beneficial action of L-arginine on the postischemic recovery of myocardial contractility.


*    Discussion
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMaterials and Methods
up arrowResults
*Discussion
down arrowReferences
 
Salient Findings
The major finding of the present study is that three different NOS inhibitors (L-NA, AG, and SMT), given 24 hours after the PC ischemia (day 2), completely and consistently eliminated the protection afforded by late PC against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits. This effect was not due to an inherent detrimental action of L-NA, AG, or SMT on myocardial stunning, as none of the agents had any adverse influence on postischemic dysfunction in nonpreconditioned myocardium (ie, when given on day 1); they exacerbated stunning only in preconditioned myocardium (ie, when given on day 2). Furthermore, this effect was not due to unfavorable changes in heart rate or arterial pressure, as these variables were not modified by our doses of L-NA, AG, and SMT (the only exception was the decrease in heart rate after L-NA, which, however, cannot account for the abrogation of late PC in group II, as elaborated below). Finally, this effect was not due to nonspecific actions on enzymes other than NOS, as the inhibition of late PC by SMT was completely reversed by the concomitant administration of L-arginine. Taken together, the present results demonstrate that the activity of NOS 24 hours after the initial ischemic challenge is necessary for late PC against myocardial stunning to become manifest in the conscious rabbit. The results obtained with AG and SMT specifically implicate iNOS as the mediator of the protection, although it is recognized that positive identification of the isoform(s) involved cannot be achieved solely with pharmacological studies.

To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that the cardioprotection afforded by the late phase of isch- emic PC is mediated by NOS. Previous studies14 have shown that generation of NO during the initial ischemia on day 1 triggers the development of the PC response observed 24 hours later in this conscious rabbit model. The present results indicate that the role of NO in late PC against stunning is considerably more complex, since this radical appears to have a dual function, as a trigger as well as a mediator of the protection.

Methodological Considerations
The use of a conscious animal preparation was felt to be particularly important for the present study because the trauma and inflammatory reaction associated with a thoracotomy may elicit the release of cytokines, which in turn could induce iNOS activity. In this regard, Hoshida et al46 found in dogs that the myocardial content of manganese superoxide dismutase in the nonischemic (control) region increased significantly 24 hours after a thoracotomy, possibly as a result of the release of cytokines in the initial hours following surgery. Also, surgical exposure of the brain has been found to induce iNOS in cerebral tissue even in the absence of isch- emia.35 In addition, the generation of ROS after myocardial ischemia/reperfusion is exaggerated in open-chest animal preparations,37 which could conceivably lead to exaggerated, or perhaps even artifactual, induction of iNOS via ROS-mediated activation of nuclear factor-{kappa}B or protein kinase C.47

Experiments With L-NA
L-NA, a nonselective inhibitor of all three NOS isoforms,32 was used to address the fundamental question of this investigation: Does NO (irrespective of its source) contribute to the protective effects of late PC against myocardial stunning? The dose of L-NA used in the present study (13 mg/kg) was chosen because it has been shown to inhibit NOS activity by >70%48 and to markedly decrease exhaled NO (measured by chemiluminescence) in rabbits.49 We14 have previously found that this dose produces no demonstrable alterations of arterial pressure but markedly suppresses acetylcholine-induced vasodilation in conscious rabbits, suggesting that it does not decrease basal endothelial NO release, although it is sufficient to block increased eNOS activity. The fact that L-NA completely abrogated late PC in group II demonstrates that the protection against stunning is mediated by the activity of NOS, although this result, in itself, does not enable one to identify which NOS isoform(s) is involved. The decrease in heart rate induced by L-NA in groups II and III is consistent with previous results14,49,50 and is thought to reflect the central regulatory function of NO on the sympathetic and parasympathetic tone.49 The effect of L-NA on heart rate cannot explain the abrogation of late PC in group II for several reasons: (1) a decrease in heart rate, if anything, would be expected to ameliorate myocardial stunning by augmenting total diastolic time and, therefore, preload38; (2) the decrease in heart rate was similar on day 2 in group II and on day 1 in group III (Table 2Up), yet L-NA had no effect on myocardial stunning on day 1 in group III; and (3) the same abrogation of late PC that was induced by L-NA in group II was also induced by AG in group IV and by SMT in group VI, yet neither AG nor SMT had any effect on heart rate (Table 2Up).

Experiments With AG and SMT
Two inhibitors of iNOS, AG and SMT, were then used to specifically interrogate the role of this isozyme. The rationale for using two different iNOS inhibitors was to minimize the possibility that the effects observed would be due to a nonspecific action of either agent. AG and SMT were chosen because among the NOS inhibitors currently available, AG has the highest selectivity for iNOS,32,34,51 whereas SMT has the highest potency for this enzyme.34 Using assays for NOS activity, AG has been shown to have an IC50 of 160.0 µmol/L for the constitutive isoform of NOS versus 5.4 µmol/L for iNOS.33,51 This relative selectivity is confirmed by the fact that AG is {approx}40 times less effective than NG-monomethyl-L-arginine in increasing arterial blood pressure in vivo.52 As detailed in "Results" ("Pilot Studies"), the dose of AG used in the present study had no effect on arterial blood pressure, suggesting that it did not inhibit NO production by vascular eNOS.

Although the results obtained with AG in group IV implicate iNOS as a mediator of late PC against stunning, AG has been found to have other effects as well, including (among other) inhibition of histamine metabolism, polyamine catabolism, aldose reductase, catalase, and other copper- or iron-containing enzymes (reviewed in Reference 3232 ). Accordingly, we decided to test the role of iNOS in late PC by using an unrelated iNOS inhibitor. We elected to use SMT, a recently described S-substituted isothiourea.34,53 SMT is a more potent inhibitor of iNOS than any other known NOS inhibitor and is 10 to 30 times selective for iNOS compared with eNOS.34 Importantly, SMT does not inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase, diaphorase, lactate dehydrogenase, monoamine oxidase (histaminase), catalase, cytochrome P450, or superoxide dismutase and, therefore, is devoid of many of the nonspecific actions of AG.34 As in the case of AG, SMT has been found to exert beneficial effects in a number of pathological conditions in which iNOS has been implicated (reviewed in Reference 3232 ). Our pilot studies (reported in "Results") demonstrate that the dosage of SMT selected for the present investigation did not change arterial pressure, suggesting that it did not affect vascular eNOS.

When this dosage was tested in our protocol of late PC, it produced essentially the same results as those obtained with AG; ie, it had no effect when given on day 1 (group VII), but it completely abolished the protection against stunning when given on day 2 (group VI). Because AG and SMT belong to two chemically different groups of NOS inhibitors32 and because SMT does not share the aforementioned nonspecific (NOS-unrelated) actions of AG, it seems very unlikely that the results obtained with both compounds were due to a nonspecific effect. Therefore, the finding that both AG and SMT blocked late PC in the same manner (groups IV and VI) supports a role of iNOS in the protective effects of late PC against myocardial stunning.

Nevertheless, to positively rule out the possibility that the inhibition of late PC by iNOS inhibitors may have been caused by nonspecific mechanisms, we tested whether such an inhibition could be reversed by L-arginine. Because SMT acts as a competitive inhibitor of iNOS at the L-arginine site,34 its effects on iNOS should be abolished by an excess of L-arginine. Indeed, our data demonstrate that when SMT was administered in conjunction with L-arginine (group VIII), late PC against stunning was no longer attenuated. The fact that the inhibitory effect of SMT on late PC was completely blocked by L-arginine confirms that it was specifically due to inhibition of NOS activity (as opposed to hypothetical NOS-unrelated actions). The fact that L-arginine in itself had no effect on late PC against stunning (group IX) confirms that the alleviation of stunning effected by L-arginine in group VIII on day 2 was due to antagonism of SMT (as opposed to hypothetical SMT-unrelated actions).

It must be stressed that the primary goal of the present study was to determine whether NOS activity in general mediates late PC against stunning, not to identify the NOS isoform(s) involved. Although the results obtained in groups IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX strongly support the conclusion that the protection afforded by late PC against myocardial stunning on day 2 is mediated primarily by iNOS, the possibility that eNOS may also contribute to the beneficial effects of late PC cannot be ruled out on the basis of pharmacological data. A possible role of this enzyme is supported by the recent findings of Kim et al,54 who have shown that in conscious dogs a 10-minute coronary occlusion induces a delayed increase in the coronary flow response to endothelium-dependent vasodilators, as well as an increase in the cardiac production of NO, indicating upregulation of coronary eNOS. Unequivocal identification of the specific isoforms of NOS that are responsible for late PC will require a molecular approach, ie, the use of transgenesis and gene targeting to manipulate the individual NOS genes in animal models of ischemic PC.

The Dual Role of NO in Late PC
In a previous study,14 we found that administration of L-NA on day 1 prevented late PC against myocardial stunning, indicating that the development of the cardioprotective response is triggered by the generation of NO during the initial ischemic challenge. (These results were confirmed in group III in the present study.) The present finding that administration of L-NA on day 2 abrogates late PC against stunning (group II) expands our previous results by demonstrating that NO also serves as the mediator of the beneficial effects of late PC. Thus, NO plays two different roles in late PC: on day 1, it initiates the development of the cardioprotective mechanism, whereas on day 2, it protects against myocardial stunning.

Because L-NA is a nonselective NOS inhibitor, in our previous study14 it was not possible to make any conclusions regarding which isoform of NOS is involved in the initiation of the protective response on day 1 (ie, eNOS versus iNOS). In theory, either isoform could be a source of NO during the PC ischemia, since cardiac myocytes and endothelial cells constitutively express eNOS25 and recent reports55,56 have demonstrated that Ca2+-independent NOS activity (presumably iNOS) is also present in normal rabbit myocardium. The present study provides new insights into this issue. The finding that in contrast to L-NA (group III) neither of the selective iNOS inhibitors (AG and SMT) prevented the development of late PC when given on day 1 (groups V and VII, respectively) strongly suggests that the enzyme responsible for generating the NO that triggers late PC on day 1 is eNOS, not iNOS. Accordingly, it would appear that two different NOS isoforms participate in the pathophysiology of late PC: eNOS in triggering the response and iNOS in mediating the subsequent protection.

Previous Studies of the Role of iNOS in Late PC
No previous investigation has examined the role of NOS as a mediator of the late phase of ischemic PC. Vegh et al57 assessed the severity of ventricular arrhythmias during a 25-minute coronary occlusion in open-chest dogs subjected, 20 hours earlier, to four 5-minute periods of rapid cardiac pacing (220 bpm). They found that pacing markedly reduced the severity of arrhythmias and that this protective effect was abolished by pretreatment with dexamethasone. Since dexamethasone blocks the expression of both iNOS and cyclooxygenase, the authors concluded that either iNOS or cyclooxygenase was involved in the observed antiarrhythmic effects. However, steroids exert a vast number of actions, so the effects of dexamethasone may have been mediated by other mechanisms as well. There are numerous differences between the present study and that of Vegh et al,57 including differences in models (conscious rabbits versus open-chest dogs), PC stimuli (ischemia versus pacing), and end points (postischemic dysfunction versus arrhythmias), all of which preclude direct comparisons. For example, it is unknown whether ischemia elicits a delayed protection against arrhythmias and, if so, whether the mechanism would be the same as that of the delayed protection against myocardial stunning. Recently, Zhao et al55 have reported that pretreatment with monophosphoryl lipid A in open-chest rabbits induces a delayed protection against infarction 24 hours later, which is associated with a 25% to 50% increase in iNOS activity and can be blocked by AG. These results suggest that the salutary effects of pharmacological PC with monophosphoryl lipid A are mediated by iNOS and therefore may involve cellular mechanisms analogous to those of the late phase of ischemic PC.

Mechanism of Augmented NOS Activity in Late PC
There are several potential mechanisms whereby brief myocardial ischemia could elicit increased NOS activity 24 hours later. The PC ischemia might lead to expression of iNOS in cardiomyocytes and/or endothelial cells by activating protein kinase C–and/or mitogen-activated protein kinase–dependent pathways analogous to those activated by cytokines.25 Alternatively, the PC ischemia might elicit production of cytokines, which then would induce iNOS expression. Ischemic PC may also induce iNOS expression by activating nuclear factor-{kappa}B, since ROS47 and NO58 (both of which are generated during ischemia/reperfusion) are known to activate this transcription factor, which then promotes transcription of the iNOS gene.47 Since the expression of constitutive eNOS is known to be modulated by a variety of factors,59,60 it is possible that ischemia may also upregulate this enzyme.

Conclusions
Because its sustained nature offers the potential to afford long-lasting protection, the late phase of ischemic PC may have significant clinical implications. Accordingly, the search for the cellular effector(s) of this phenomenon has been intense. The present study supports the concept that the cardioprotective effects of the late phase of ischemic PC are mediated by the activity of NOS. Taken together with prior studies,14 the present results indicate that NO plays a dual role in late PC against stunning, acting initially as the trigger and subsequently as the mediator of the protection. Regarding the source of NO, our results with iNOS-selective inhibitors support a complex paradigm in which two different NOS isoforms are sequentially involved in the pathophysiological cascade of late PC, with eNOS generating the NO that initiates the development of the PC response on day 1 and iNOS then generating the NO that protects against recurrent ischemia on day 2. Thus, NO formation appears to be a mechanism of paramount importance in the adaptations of the heart to ischemic stress.


*    Selected Abbreviations and Acronyms
 
AG = aminoguanidine
eNOS = endothelial NOS
iNOS = inducible NOS
L-NA = N{omega}-nitro-L-arginine
LV = left ventricular
NOS = NO synthase
PC = preconditioning
ROS = reactive oxygen species
SMT = S-methylisothiourea sulfate
WTh = wall thickening


*    Acknowledgments
 
This study was supported in part by National Institutes of Health grants R01 HL-43151 and HL-55757 (Dr Bolli), by American Heart Association, Kentucky Affiliate, Inc, grants KY-96-GB-32 (Dr Qiu) and KY-96-GB-31 (Dr Tang), and by the Medical Research Grant Program of the Jewish Hospital Foundation, Louisville, Ky. We gratefully acknowledge Christiane Trauss and Wen-Jian Wu for expert technical assistance and Trudy Keith and Ann Keckler for expert secretarial assistance.

Received August 19, 1997; accepted September 26, 1997.


*    References
up arrowTop
up arrowAbstract
up arrowIntroduction
up arrowMaterials and Methods
up arrowResults
up arrowDiscussion
*References
 
1. Murry CE, Jennings RB, Reimer KA. Preconditioning with isch- emia: a delay of lethal cell injury in ischemic myocardium. Circulation. 1986;74:1124–1136.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

2. Downey JM. Ischemic preconditioning: nature's own cardioprotective intervention. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 1992;2:170–176.

3. Cohen MV, Downey JM. Preconditioning during ischemia. Cardiol Rev. 1995;3:137–149.

4. Cohen MV, Yang XM, Downey JM. Conscious rabbits become tolerant to multiple episodes of ischemic preconditioning. Circ Res. 1994;74:998–1004.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

5. Burckhartt B, Yang XM, Tsuchida A, Mullane KM, Downey JM, Cohen MV. Acadesine extends the window of protection afforded by ischemic preconditioning in conscious rabbits. Cardiovasc Res. 1995;29:653–657.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

6. Qiu Y, Tang X-L, Park S-W, Sun J-Z, Kalya A, Bolli R. The early and late phases of ischemic preconditioning: a comparative analysis of their effects on infarct size, myocardial stunning, and arrhythmias in conscious pigs undergoing a 40-min coronary occlusion. Circ Res.. 1997;80:730–742.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

7. Kuzuya T, Hoshida S, Yamashita N, Fuji H, Oe H, Hori M, Kamada T, Tada M. Delayed effects of sublethal ischemia on the acquisition of tolerance to ischemia. Circ Res. 1993;72:1293–1299.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

8. Marber MS, Latchman DS, Walker JM, Yellon DM. Cardiac stress protein elevation 24 hours after brief ischemia or heat stress is associated with resistance to myocardial infarction. Circulation. 1993;88:1264–1272.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

9. Baxter GF, Marber MS, Patel VC, Yellon DM. Adenosine receptor involvement in a delayed phase of myocardial protection 24 hours after ischemic preconditioning. Circulation. 1994;90:2993–3000.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

10. Yang, XM, Baxter GF, Heads RJ, Yellon DM, Downey JM, Cohen MV. Infarct limitation of the second window of protection in a conscious rabbit model. Cardiovasc Res. 1996;31:777–783.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

11. Sun J-Z, Tang X-L, Knowlton AA, Park SW, Qiu Y, Bolli R. Late preconditioning against myocardial stunning: an endogenous protective mechanism that confers resistance to postischemic dysfunction 24 h after brief ischemia in conscious pigs. J Clin Invest. 1995;95:388–403.

12. Sun J-Z, Tang X-L, Park SW, Qiu Y, Turrens JF, Bolli R. Evidence for an essential role of reactive oxygen species in the genesis of late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious pigs. J Clin Invest. 1996;97:562–576.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

13. Tang X-L, Qiu Y, Park S-W, Sun J-Z, Kalya A, Bolli R. Time course of late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious pigs. Circ Res. 1996;79:424–434.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

14. Bolli R, Bhatti ZA, Tang X-L, Qiu Y, Zhang Q, Guo Y, Jadoon AK. Evidence that late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits is triggered by the generation of nitric oxide. Circ Res. 1997;81:42–52.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

15. Maldonado C, Qiu Y, Tang X-L, Cohen MV, Auchampach J, Bolli R. Role of adenosine receptors in late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits. Am J Physiol.. 1997;273:H1324–H1332.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

16. Ping P, Zhang J, Qiu Y, Tang X-L, Manchikalapudi S, Cao X, Bolli R. Ischemic preconditioning induces selective translocation of protein kinase C isoforms {epsilon} and {eta} in the heart of conscious rabbits without subcellular redistribution of total protein kinase C activity. Circ Res.. 1997;81:404–414.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

17. Bolli R. The early and late phases of preconditioning against myocardial stunning and the essential role of oxyradicals in the late phase: an overview. Basic Res Cardiol. 1996;91:57–63.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

18. Watanabe AM, Besch HR Jr. Interaction between cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate in guinea pig ventricular myocardium. Circ Res. 1975;37:309–317.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

19. Balligand JL, Kelly RA, Marsden PA, Smith TW, Michel T. Control of cardiac muscle cell function by an endogenous nitric oxide signaling system. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993;90:347–351.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

20. Levi RC, Alloatti G, Fischmeister R. Cyclic GMP regulates the Ca-channel current in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Eur J Physiol. 1989;413:685–687.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

21. Mery PF, Pavoine C, Belhassen L, Pecker F, Fischmeister R. Nitric oxide regulates cardiac Ca2+ current: involvement of cGMP-inhibited and cGMP-stimulated phosphodiesterases through guanylyl cyclase activation. J Biol Chem. 1993;268:26286–26295.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

22. Schulz R, Nava E, Moncada S. Induction and potential biological relevance of a Ca2+-independent nitric oxide synthase in the myocardium. Br J Pharmacol. 1992;105:575–580.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

23. Finkel MS, Oddis CV, Jacob TD, Watkins SC, Hattler BG, Simmons RL. Negative inotropic effects of cytokines on the heart mediated by nitric oxide. Science. 1992;257:387–389.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

24. Ungureanu-Longrois D, Balligand JL, Kelly RA, Smith TW. Myocardial contractile dysfunction in the systematic inflammatory response syndrome: role of a cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase in cardiac myocytes. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1995;27:155–167.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

25. Kelly RA, Balligand J-L, Smith TW. Nitric oxide and cardiac function. Circ Res. 1996;79:363–380.[Free Full Text]

26. Weiss HR, Rodriguez E, Tse J, Scholz PM. Effect of increased myocardial cyclic GMP induced by GMP-phosphodiesterase inhibition on oxygen consumption and supply of rabbit hearts. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 1994;21:607–614.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

27. Shen W, Xu X, Ochoa M, Zhao G, Wolin MS, Hintze TH. Role of nitric oxide in the regulation of oxygen consumption in conscious dogs. Circ Res. 1994;75:1086–1095.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

28. Shen W, Hintze TW, Wolin MS. Nitric oxide: an important signaling mechanism between vascular endothelium and parenchymal cells in the regulation of oxygen consumption. Circulation. 1995;92:3505–3512.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

29. Xie Y-W, Shen W, Zhao G, Xu X, Wolin MS, Hintze TH. Role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide in modulation of canine myocardial mitochondrial respiration in vitro: implications for the development of heart failure. Circ Res. 1996;79:381–387.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

30. Bolli R. Mechanism of myocardial `stunning.' Circulation. 1990;82:723–738.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

31. Hasebe N, Shen YT, Vatner SF. Inhibition of endothelium-derived relaxing factor enhances myocardial stunning in conscious dogs. Circulation. 1993;88:2862–2871.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

32. Southan GJ, Szabó C. Selective pharmacological inhibition of distinct nitric oxide synthase isoforms. Biochem Pharmacol. 1996;51:383–394.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

33. Misko TP, Moore WM, Kasten TP, Nickols GA, Corbett JA, Tilton RG, McDaniel ML, Williamson JR, Currie MG. Selective inhibition of the inducible nitric oxide synthase by aminoguanidine. Eur J Pharmacol. 1993;233:119–125.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

34. Szabó C, Southan GJ, Thiemermann C. Beneficial effects and improved survival in rodent models of septic shock with S-methylisothiourea sulfate, a potent and selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1994;91:12472–12476.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

35. Iadecola C, Zhang F, Xu X, Casey R, Ross ME. Inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in brain following focal cerebral ischemia. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1995;15:378–384.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

36. Triana JF, Li X-Y, Jamaluddin U, Thornby JI, Bolli R. Postischemic myocardial `stunning': identification of major differences between the open-chest and the conscious dog and evaluation of the oxygen radical hypothesis in the conscious dog. Circ Res. 1991;69:731–747.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

37. Li X-Y, McCay PB, Zughaib M, Jeroudi MO, Triana JF, Bolli R. Demonstration of free radical generation in the `stunned' myocardium in the conscious dog and identification of major differences between conscious and open-chest dogs. J Clin Invest. 1993;92:1025–1041.

38. Bolli R. Common methodological problems and artifacts associated with studies of myocardial stunning in vivo. Basic Res Cardiol. 1995;90:257–262.

39. Haessler R, Kuzume K, Chien GL, Wolff RA, Davis RF, Van Winkle DM. Anaesthetics alter the magnitude of infarct limitation by ischaemic preconditioning. Cardiovasc Res. 1994;28:1574–1580.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

40. Schwartz LM, Jennings RB, Reimer KA. Premedication with the opioid analgesic butorphanol raises the threshold for ischemic preconditioning in dogs. Basic Res Cardiol. 1997;92:106–114.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

41. Joly GA, Ayres M, Chelly F, Kilbourn RG. Effects of NG-methyl-L-arginine, NG-nitro-L-arginine and aminoguanidine on constitutive and inducible nitric oxide synthase in rat aorta. Biochem Res Commun. 1994;199:147–154.

42. Wu C-C, Chen S-J, Szabó C, Thiemermann C, Vane JR. Aminoguanidine attenuates the delayed circulatory failure and improves survival in rodent models of endotoxic shock. Br J Pharmacol. 1995;114:1666–1672.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

43. Griffiths MJ, Messent M, MacAllister RJ, Evans TW. Aminoguanidine selectively inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase. Br J Pharmacol. 1993;110:963–968.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

44. Bolli R, Zhu WX, Myers ML, Hartley CJ, Roberts R. Beta-adrenergic stimulation reverses postischemic myocardial dysfunction without producing subsequent functional deterioration. Am J Cardiol. 1985;56:964–968.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

45. SAS Institute. SAS/STAT User's Guide. Release of 6.03 ed. Cary, NC: SAS Institute; 1988:675–712.

46. Hoshida S, Kuzuya T, Fuji H, Yamashita N, Oe H, Hori M, Suzuki K, Taniguchi N, Tada M. Sublethal ischemia alters myocardial antioxidant activity in canine heart. Am J Physiol. 1993;264:H33–H39.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

47. Thanos T, Maniatis T. NF-{kappa}B: a lesson in family values. Cell. 1995;80:529–532.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

48. Traystman RJ, Moore LE, Helfaer MA, Davis S, Banasiak K, Williams M, Hurn PD. Nitro-L-arginine analogues: dose- and time-related nitric oxide synthase inhibition in brain. Stroke. 1995;26:864–869.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

49. Liu J-L, Murakami H, Zucker IH. Effects of NO on baroreflex control of heart rate and renal nerve activity in conscious rabbits. Am J Physiol. 1996;39:R1361–R1370.

50. Reinhart GA, Lohmeier TE, Mizelle HL. Temporal influence of the renal nerves on renal excretory function during chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis. Hypertension. 1997;29:199–204.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

51. Hasan K, Heesen B-J, Corbett JA, McDaniel ML, Chang K, Allison W, Wolffenbuttel BHR, Williamson JR, Tilton RG. Inhibition of nitric oxide formation by guanidines. Eur J Pharmacol. 1993;249:101–106.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

52. Corbett JA, Tilton RG, Chang K, Hasan KS, Ido Y, Wang JL, Sweetland MA, Lancaster JR Jr, Williamson JR, McDaniel ML. Aminoguanidine, a novel inhibitor of nitric oxide formation, prevents diabetic vascular dysfunction. Diabetes. 1992;41:552–556.[Abstract]

53. Southan GJ, Szabó C, Thiemermann C. Isothioureas: potent inhibitors of nitric oxide synthases with variable isoform selectivity. Br J Pharmacol. 1995;114:510–516.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

54. Kim S-J, Ghaleh B, Kudej RK, Huang C-H, Hintze TH, Vatner SF. Delayed enhanced nitric oxide–mediated coronary vasodilation following brief ischemia and prolonged reperfusion in conscious dogs. Circ Res. 1997;81:53–59.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

55. Zhao L, Weber PA, Smith JR, Comerford ML, Elliott GT. Role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in pharmacological `preconditioning' with monophosphoryl lipid A. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1997;29:1567–1576.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

56. Akiyama K, Suzuki H, Grant P, Bing RJ. Oxidation products of nitric oxide, NO2 and NO3, in plasma after experimental myocardial infarction. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 1997;29:1–9.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

57. Vegh A, Papp JG, Parratt JR. Prevention by dexamethasone of the marked antiarrhythmic effects of preconditioning induced 20 h after rapid cardiac pacing. Br J Pharmacol. 1994;113:1081–1082.[Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

58. Lander HM, Sehajpal P, Levine DM, Novogrodsky A. Activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by nitric oxide-generating compounds. J Immunol. 1993;150:1509–1516.[Abstract]

59. Sase K, Michel T. Expression and regulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 1997;7:28–37.

60. Sessa WC, Kirkwood P, Seyedi N, Wang J, Hintze TH. Chronic exercise in dogs increase coronary vascular nitric oxide production and endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase gene expression. Circ Res. 1994;74:349–353.[Abstract/Free Full Text]




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Eur Heart JHome page
G. Ambrosio, M. Del Pinto, I. Tritto, G. Agnelli, M. Bentivoglio, C. Zuchi, F. A. Anderson, J. M. Gore, J. Lopez-Sendon, A. Wyman, et al.
Chronic nitrate therapy is associated with different presentation and evolution of acute coronary syndromes: insights from 52 693 patients in the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events
Eur. Heart J., November 10, 2009; (2009) ehp457v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ther Adv Cardiovasc DisHome page
A. Maffei and G. Lembo
Nitric oxide mechanisms of nebivolol
Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease, August 1, 2009; 3(4): 317 - 327.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
Anesth. Analg.Home page
N. C. Weber, J. Frassdorf, C. Ratajczak, Y. Grueber, W. Schlack, M. W. Hollmann, and B. Preckel
Xenon Induces Late Cardiac Preconditioning In Vivo: A Role for Cyclooxygenase 2?
Anesth. Analg., December 1, 2008; 107(6): 1807 - 1813.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
Y. Ye, Y. Lin, S. Manickavasagam, J. R. Perez-Polo, B. C. Tieu, and Y. Birnbaum
Pioglitazone protects the myocardium against ischemia-reperfusion injury in eNOS and iNOS knockout mice
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2008; 295(6): H2436 - H2446.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
Y.-T. Shen, C. Depre, L. Yan, J. Y. Park, B. Tian, K. Jain, L. Chen, Y. Zhang, R. K. Kudej, X. Zhao, et al.
Repetitive Ischemia by Coronary Stenosis Induces a Novel Window of Ischemic Preconditioning
Circulation, November 4, 2008; 118(19): 1961 - 1969.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
Y. Ye, J. D. Martinez, R. J. Perez-Polo, Y. Lin, B. F. Uretsky, and Y. Birnbaum
The role of eNOS, iNOS, and NF-{kappa}B in upregulation and activation of cyclooxygenase-2 and infarct size reduction by atorvastatin
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2008; 295(1): H343 - H351.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
H. Sato, R. Bolli, G. D. Rokosh, Q. Bi, S. Dai, G. Shirk, and X.-L. Tang
The cardioprotection of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning is enhanced by postconditioning via a COX-2-mediated mechanism in conscious rats
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, October 1, 2007; 293(4): H2557 - H2564.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. Natarajan, F. N. Salloum, B. J. Fisher, E. D. Ownby, R. C. Kukreja, and A. A. Fowler 3rd
Activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 via prolyl-4 hydoxylase-2 gene silencing attenuates acute inflammatory responses in postischemic myocardium
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, September 1, 2007; 293(3): H1571 - H1580.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Guo, Y. Zhu, O.-L. Wang, G. Rokosh, and R. Bolli
Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Plays an Obligatory Role in the Late Phase of Ischemic Preconditioning by Activating the Protein Kinase C{epsilon} p44/42 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase pSer-Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription1/3 Pathway
Circulation, July 31, 2007; 116(5): 535 - 544.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S.-J. Kim, X. Zhang, X. Xu, A. Chen, J. B. Gonzalez, S. Koul, K. Vijayan, G. J. Crystal, S. F. Vatner, and T. H. Hintze
Evidence for enhanced eNOS function in coronary microvessels during the second window of protection
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2007; 292(5): H2152 - H2158.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
Y. Akita, H. Otani, S. Matsuhisa, S. Kyoi, C. Enoki, R. Hattori, H. Imamura, H. Kamihata, Y. Kimura, and T. Iwasaka
Exercise-induced activation of cardiac sympathetic nerve triggers cardioprotection via redox-sensitive activation of eNOS and upregulation of iNOS
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2007; 292(5): H2051 - H2059.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. Bolli
Preconditioning: a paradigm shift in the biology of myocardial ischemia
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): H19 - H27.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
X. Monnet, L. Lucats, P. Colin, G. Derumeaux, J.-L. Dubois-Rande, L. Hittinger, B. Ghaleh, and A. Berdeaux
Reduction in postsystolic wall thickening during late preconditioning
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): H158 - H164.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. P. Taylor, M. E. Olsen, and J. W. Starnes
Improved postischemic function following acute exercise is not mediated by nitric oxide synthase in the rat heart
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2007; 292(1): H601 - H607.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
R. K. Kudej, Y.-T. Shen, A. P. Peppas, C.-H. Huang, W. Chen, L. Yan, D. E. Vatner, and S. F. Vatner
Obligatory Role of Cardiac Nerves and {alpha}1-Adrenergic Receptors for the Second Window of Ischemic Preconditioning in Conscious Pigs
Circ. Res., November 24, 2006; 99(11): 1270 - 1276.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
S. M. Davidson and M. R. Duchen
Effects of NO on mitochondrial function in cardiomyocytes: Pathophysiological relevance
Cardiovasc Res, July 1, 2006; 71(1): 10 - 21.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S. Atar, Y. Ye, Y. Lin, S. Y. Freeberg, S. P. Nishi, S. Rosanio, M.-H. Huang, B. F. Uretsky, J. R. Perez-Polo, and Y. Birnbaum
Atorvastatin-induced cardioprotection is mediated by increasing inducible nitric oxide synthase and consequent S-nitrosylation of cyclooxygenase-2
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2006; 290(5): H1960 - H1968.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
X. Monnet, B. Ghaleh, L. Lucats, P. Colin, R. Zini, L. Hittinger, and A. Berdeaux
Phenotypic adaptation of the late preconditioned heart: Myocardial oxygen consumption is reduced
Cardiovasc Res, May 1, 2006; 70(2): 391 - 398.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
M. Wakeno-Takahashi, H. Otani, S. Nakao, H. Imamura, and K. Shingu
Isoflurane induces second window of preconditioning through upregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase in rat heart
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2005; 289(6): H2585 - H2591.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
P. C. Beguin, M. Joyeux-Faure, D. Godin-Ribuot, P. Levy, and C. Ribuot
Acute intermittent hypoxia improves rat myocardium tolerance to ischemia
J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2005; 99(3): 1064 - 1069.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
H. Jneid, M. Chandra, M. Alshaher, C. A. Hornung, X.-L. Tang, M. Leesar, and R. Bolli
Delayed Preconditioning-Mimetic Actions of Nitroglycerin in Patients Undergoing Exercise Tolerance Tests
Circulation, May 24, 2005; 111(20): 2565 - 2571.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
X. Wang, C. Yin, L. Xi, and R. C. Kukreja
Opening of Ca2+-activated K+ channels triggers early and delayed preconditioning against I/R injury independent of NOS in mice
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2004; 287(5): H2070 - H2077.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
StrokeHome page
A. B. Stein, X.-L. Tang, Y. Guo, Y.-T. Xuan, B. Dawn, and R. Bolli
Delayed Adaptation of the Heart to Stress: Late Preconditioning
Stroke, November 1, 2004; 35(11_suppl_1): 2676 - 2679.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
B. Dawn, Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Guo, A. Rezazadeh, A. B. Stein, G. Hunt, W.-J. Wu, W. Tan, and R. Bolli
IL-6 plays an obligatory role in late preconditioning via JAK-STAT signaling and upregulation of iNOS and COX-2
Cardiovasc Res, October 1, 2004; 64(1): 61 - 71.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ICVTSHome page
Z. Xia, R. Xia, H.-T. Lan, T. Luo, Q.-Z. Tang, Z.-Y. Xia, and X.-Y. Liu
Systemic ischemic preconditioning plus hemodilution enhanced early functional recovery of reperfused heart in the rabbits
Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, September 1, 2004; 3(3): 528 - 532.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S. L. Lennon, J. C. Quindry, K. L. Hamilton, J. P. French, J. Hughes, J. L. Mehta, and S. K. Powers
Elevated MnSOD is not required for exercise-induced cardioprotection against myocardial stunning
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2004; 287(2): H975 - H980.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
Y.-F. Lin, K. Raab-Graham, Y. N. Jan, and L. Y. Jan
NO stimulation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels: Involvement of Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and contribution to neuroprotection
PNAS, May 18, 2004; 101(20): 7799 - 7804.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
X.-L. Tang, Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Zhu, G. Shirk, and R. Bolli
Nicorandil induces late preconditioning against myocardial infarction in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, April 1, 2004; 286(4): H1273 - H1280.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Physiol. Rev.Home page
D. M. YELLON and J. M. DOWNEY
Preconditioning the Myocardium: From Cellular Physiology to Clinical Cardiology
Physiol Rev, October 1, 2003; 83(4): 1113 - 1151.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
T. Rui, G. Cepinskas, Q. Feng, and P. R Kvietys
Delayed preconditioning in cardiac myocytes with respect to development of a proinflammatory phenotype: role of SOD and NOS
Cardiovasc Res, October 1, 2003; 59(4): 901 - 911.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
T. C. Zhao and R. C. Kukreja
Protein kinase C-{delta} mediates adenosine A3 receptor-induced delayed cardioprotection in mouse
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, June 5, 2003; 285(1): H434 - H441.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur J Heart FailHome page
M. M. El-Omar, R. Lord, N. J. Draper, and A. M. Shah
Role of nitric oxide in posthypoxic contractile dysfunction of diabetic cardiomyopathy
Eur J Heart Fail, June 1, 2003; 5(3): 229 - 239.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
K. Laude, J. Favre, C. Thuillez, and V. Richard
NO produced by endothelial NO synthase is a mediator of delayed preconditioning-induced endothelial protection
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, June 1, 2003; 284(6): H2053 - H2060.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
G. Wright, J. J. Higgin, R. T. Raines, C. Steenbergen, and E. Murphy
Activation of the Prolyl Hydroxylase Oxygen-sensor Results in Induction of GLUT1, Heme Oxygenase-1, and Nitric-oxide Synthase Proteins and Confers Protection from Metabolic Inhibition to Cardiomyocytes
J. Biol. Chem., May 23, 2003; 278(22): 20235 - 20239.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
Q. Li, Y. Guo, Y.-T. Xuan, C. J. Lowenstein, S. C. Stevenson, S. D. Prabhu, W.-J. Wu, Y. Zhu, and R. Bolli
Gene Therapy With Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Protects Against Myocardial Infarction via a Cyclooxygenase-2-Dependent Mechanism
Circ. Res., April 18, 2003; 92(7): 741 - 748.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
P. D. Lambiase, R. J. Edwards, M. R. Cusack, C. A. Bucknall, S. R. Redwood, and M. S. Marber
Exercise-induced ischemia initiates the second window of protection in humans independent of collateral recruitment
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 2, 2003; 41(7): 1174 - 1182.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J Am Coll CardiolHome page
K. Shinmura, E. Kodani, Y. u-T. Xuan, B. Dawn, X.-L. Tang, and R. Bolli
Effect of aspirin on late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits
J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., April 2, 2003; 41(7): 1183 - 1194.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
C. Arnaud, D. Godin-Ribuot, S. Bottari, A. Peinnequin, M. Joyeux, P. Demenge, and C. Ribuot
iNOS is a mediator of the heat stress-induced preconditioning against myocardial infarction in vivo in the rat
Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2003; 58(1): 118 - 125.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
J. Vaage and G. Valen
Preconditioning and cardiac surgery
Ann. Thorac. Surg., February 1, 2003; 75(2): S709 - 714.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Card Surg AdultHome page
R. M. Mentzer Jr., M. S. Jahania, and R. D. Lasley
Myocardial Protection
Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2003; 2(2003): 413 - 438.
[Full Text]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
K. Shinmura, M. Nagai, K. Tamaki, M. Tani, and R. Bolli
COX-2-derived prostacyclin mediates opioid-induced late phase of preconditioning in isolated rat hearts
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2002; 283(6): H2534 - H2543.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
E. Kodani, Y.-T. Xuan, K. Shinmura, H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, and R. Bolli
delta -Opioid receptor-induced late preconditioning is mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2002; 283(5): H1943 - H1957.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
K. Laude, P. Beauchamp, C. Thuillez, and V. Richard
Endothelial protective effects of preconditioning
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2002; 55(3): 466 - 473.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
G.F Baxter
Role of adenosine in delayed preconditioning of myocardium
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2002; 55(3): 483 - 494.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
S. Hoshida, N. Yamashita, K. Otsu, and M. Hori
The importance of manganese superoxide dismutase in delayed preconditioning: Involvement of reactive oxygen species and cytokines
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2002; 55(3): 495 - 505.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
R. Bolli, K. Shinmura, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Guo, and B. Dawn
Discovery of a new function of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2: COX-2 is a cardioprotective protein that alleviates ischemia/reperfusion injury and mediates the late phase of preconditioning
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2002; 55(3): 506 - 519.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
R. Domenech, P. Macho, H. Schwarze, and G. Sanchez
Exercise induces early and late myocardial preconditioning in dogs
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2002; 55(3): 561 - 566.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
K. Shinmura, R. Bolli, S.-Q. Liu, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, Y.-t. Xuan, S. Srivastava, and A. Bhatnagar
Aldose Reductase Is an Obligatory Mediator of the Late Phase of Ischemic Preconditioning
Circ. Res., August 9, 2002; 91(3): 240 - 246.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
B. Dawn, H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, S. Banerjee, A. Rezazadeh, Y. Qiu, and R. Bolli
Role of Src protein tyrosine kinases in late preconditioning against myocardial infarction
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2002; 283(2): H549 - H556.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
M. Kudo, Y. Wang, M. Xu, A. Ayub, and M. Ashraf
Adenosine A1 receptor mediates late preconditioning via activation of PKC-delta signaling pathway
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2002; 283(1): H296 - H301.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
E. Kodani, Y.-T. Xuan, H. Takano, K. Shinmura, X.-L. Tang, and R. Bolli
Role of Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate in Late Preconditioning in Conscious Rabbits
Circulation, June 25, 2002; 105(25): 3046 - 3052.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
K. Shinmura, Y.-T. Xuan, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, H. Han, Y. Zhu, and R. Bolli
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Modulates Cyclooxygenase-2 Activity in the Heart of Conscious Rabbits During the Late Phase of Ischemic Preconditioning
Circ. Res., March 22, 2002; 90(5): 602 - 608.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S.-J. Kim, Y.-K. Kim, G. Takagi, C.-H. Huang, Y.-J. Geng, and S. F. Vatner
Enhanced iNOS function in myocytes one day after brief ischemic episode
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, February 1, 2002; 282(2): H423 - H428.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
E. O. McFalls, B. Murad, J.-S. Liow, M. C. Gannon, H. C. Haspel, A. Lange, D. Marx, J. Sikora, and H. B. Ward
Glucose uptake and glycogen levels are increased in pig heart after repetitive ischemia
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2002; 282(1): H205 - H211.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
X.-L. Tang, H. Takano, A. Rizvi, J. F. Turrens, Y. Qiu, W.-J. Wu, Q. Zhang, and R. Bolli
Oxidant species trigger late preconditioning against myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2002; 282(1): H281 - H291.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
L. A. Nikolaidis, T. Hentosz, A. Doverspike, R. Huerbin, C. Stolarski, Y.-T. Shen, and R. P. Shannon
Mechanisms whereby rapid RV pacing causes LV dysfunction: perfusion-contraction matching and NO
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 2001; 281(6): H2270 - H2281.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
H. H. Patel and G. J. Gross
Diazoxide induced cardioprotection: what comes first, KATP channels or reactive oxygen species?
Cardiovasc Res, September 1, 2001; 51(4): 633 - 636.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
M. Hill, H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, G. Shirk, and R. Bolli
Nitroglycerin Induces Late Preconditioning Against Myocardial Infarction in Conscious Rabbits Despite Development of Nitrate Tolerance
Circulation, August 7, 2001; 104(6): 694 - 699.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
E. Kodani, K. Shinmura, Y.-T. Xuan, H. Takano, J. A. Auchampach, X.-L. Tang, and R. Bolli
Cyclooxygenase-2 does not mediate late preconditioning induced by activation of adenosine A1 or A3 receptors
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, August 1, 2001; 281(2): H959 - H968.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Guo, H. Han, Y. Zhu, and R. Bolli
An essential role of the JAK-STAT pathway in ischemic preconditioning
PNAS, July 31, 2001; 98(16): 9050 - 9055.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurosci.Home page
N. Blondeau, C. Widmann, M. Lazdunski, and C. Heurteaux
Activation of the Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Is a Key Event in Brain Tolerance
J. Neurosci., July 1, 2001; 21(13): 4668 - 4677.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. A. Ockaili, P. Bhargava, and R. C. Kukreja
Chemical preconditioning with 3-nitropropionic acid in hearts: role of mitochondrial KATP channel
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2001; 280(5): H2406 - H2411.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Exp. Biol. Med.Home page
B. P. Lipton, J. B. Delcarpio, and K. H. McDonough
Effects of Endotoxin on Neutrophil-Mediated Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in the Rat Heart In Vivo
Experimental Biology and Medicine, April 1, 2001; 226(4): 320 - 327.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
Y.-P. Wang, H. Xu, K. Mizoguchi, M. Oe, and H. Maeta
Intestinal ischemia induces late preconditioning against myocardial infarction: a role for inducible nitric oxide synthase
Cardiovasc Res, February 1, 2001; 49(2): 391 - 398.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
O. Parent De Curzon, B. Ghaleh, R. Tissier, J.-F. Giudicelli, L. Hittinger, and A. Berdeaux
Myocardial stunning in exercise-induced ischemia in dogs: lack of late preconditioning
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2001; 280(1): H302 - H310.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ann. Thorac. Surg.Home page
J. Feng, H. Li, and E. R. Rosenkranz
Bradykinin protects the rabbit heart after cardioplegic ischemia via NO-dependent pathways
Ann. Thorac. Surg., December 1, 2000; 70(6): 2119 - 2124.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
R. Bolli
The Late Phase of Preconditioning
Circ. Res., November 24, 2000; 87(11): 972 - 983.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, and R. Bolli
Differential role of KATP channels in late preconditioning against myocardial stunning and infarction in rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): H2350 - H2359.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
Y.-T. Xuan, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, S. Banerjee, H. Takano, H. Han, and R. Bolli
Biphasic response of cardiac NO synthase isoforms to ischemic preconditioning in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): H2360 - H2371.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, E. Kodani, and R. Bolli
Late preconditioning enhances recovery of myocardial function after infarction in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2000; 279(5): H2372 - H2381.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
T. J. Koh and J. G. Tidball
Nitric oxide inhibits calpain-mediated proteolysis of talin in skeletal muscle cells
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, September 1, 2000; 279(3): C806 - C812.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
K. Shinmura, X.-L. Tang, Y. Wang, Y.-T. Xuan, S.-Q. Liu, H. Takano, A. Bhatnagar, and R. Bolli
Cyclooxygenase-2 mediates the cardioprotective effects of the late phase of ischemic preconditioning in conscious rabbits
PNAS, August 29, 2000; 97(18): 10197 - 10202.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Genes Dev.Home page
G. L. Semenza
HIF-1 and human disease: one highly involved factor
Genes & Dev., August 15, 2000; 14(16): 1983 - 1991.
[Full Text]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. K. Kudej, S.-J. Kim, Y.-T. Shen, J. B. Jackson, A. B. Kudej, G.-P. Yang, S. P. Bishop, and S. F. Vatner
Nitric oxide, an important regulator of perfusion-contraction matching in conscious pigs
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2000; 279(1): H451 - H456.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
G. Valen, G. K Hansson, A. Dumitrescu, and J. Vaage
Unstable angina activates myocardial heat shock protein 72, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and transcription factors NF{kappa}B and AP-1
Cardiovasc Res, July 1, 2000; 47(1): 49 - 56.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Bio.Home page
K. Zacharowski, S. Frank, M. Otto, P. K. Chatterjee, S. Cuzzocrea, G. Hafner, J. Pfeilschifter, and C. Thiemermann
Lipoteichoic Acid Induces Delayed Protection in the Rat Heart : A Comparison With Endotoxin
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, June 1, 2000; 20(6): 1521 - 1528.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
T. Oxman, M. Shapira, A. Diver, R. Klein, N. Avazov, and B. Rabinowitz
A new method of long-term preventive cardioprotection using Lactobacillus
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2000; 278(5): H1717 - H1724.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. D. Rakhit, R. J. Edwards, J. W. Mockridge, A. R. Baydoun, A. W. Wyatt, G. E. Mann, and M. S. Marber
Nitric oxide-induced cardioprotection in cultured rat ventricular myocytes
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, April 1, 2000; 278(4): H1211 - H1217.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
M. Barton
Sex and NO -- beyond regulation of vasomotor tone
Cardiovasc Res, April 1, 2000; 46(1): 20 - 23.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
N. Sasaki, T. Sato, A. Ohler, B. O’Rourke, and E. Marban
Activation of Mitochondrial ATP-Dependent Potassium Channels by Nitric Oxide
Circulation, February 1, 2000; 101(4): 439 - 445.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Exp. Biol. Med.Home page
A. J. Spanier and K. H. McDonough
Dexamethasone Blocks Sepsis-Induced Protection of the Heart from Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Experimental Biology and Medicine, January 1, 2000; 223(1): 82 - 87.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
B. Dawn, Y.-T. Xuan, Y. Qiu, H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, P. Ping, S. Banerjee, M. Hill, and R. Bolli
Bifunctional Role of Protein Tyrosine Kinases in Late Preconditioning Against Myocardial Stunning in Conscious Rabbits
Circ. Res., December 3, 1999; 85(12): 1154 - 1163.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
R. Ockaili, V. R. Emani, S. Okubo, M. Brown, K. Krottapalli, and R. C. Kukreja
Opening of mitochondrial KATP channel induces early and delayed cardioprotective effect: role of nitric oxide
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 1999; 277(6): H2425 - H2434.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S. Banerjee, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, H. Takano, S. Manchikalapudi, B. Dawn, G. Shirk, and R. Bolli
Nitroglycerin induces late preconditioning against myocardial stunning via a PKC-dependent pathway
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 1999; 277(6): H2488 - H2494.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
K. Shinmura, X.-L. Tang, H. Takano, M. Hill, and R. Bolli
Nitric oxide donors attenuate myocardial stunning in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, December 1, 1999; 277(6): H2495 - H2503.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
C. Csonka, Z. Szilvassy, F. Fulop, T. Pali, I. E. Blasig, A. Tosaki, R. Schulz, and P. Ferdinandy
Classic Preconditioning Decreases the Harmful Accumulation of Nitric Oxide During Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rat Hearts
Circulation, November 30, 1999; 100(22): 2260 - 2266.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
P. Ping, J. Zhang, S. Huang, X. Cao, X.-L. Tang, R. C. X. Li, Y.-T. Zheng, Y. Qiu, A. Clerk, P. Sugden, et al.
PKC-dependent activation of p46/p54 JNKs during ischemic preconditioning in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 1999; 277(5): H1771 - H1785.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
Y. Guo, W. K. Jones, Y.-T. Xuan, X.-L. Tang, W. Bao, W.-J. Wu, H. Han, V. E. Laubach, P. Ping, Z. Yang, et al.
The late phase of ischemic preconditioning is abrogated by targeted disruption of the inducible NO synthase gene
PNAS, September 28, 1999; 96(20): 11507 - 11512.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
P. Ping, J. Zhang, Y.-T. Zheng, R. C. X. Li, B. Dawn, X.-L. Tang, H. Takano, Z. Balafanova, and R. Bolli
Demonstration of Selective Protein Kinase C–Dependent Activation of Src and Lck Tyrosine Kinases During Ischemic Preconditioning in Conscious Rabbits
Circ. Res., September 17, 1999; 85(6): 542 - 550.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
A. Rizvi, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, Y.-T. Xuan, H. Takano, A. K. Jadoon, and R. Bolli
Increased protein synthesis is necessary for the development of late preconditioning against myocardial stunning
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, September 1, 1999; 277(3): H874 - H884.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
R. D Rakhit, R. J Edwards, and M. S Marber
Nitric oxide, nitrates and ischaemic preconditioning
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 1999; 43(3): 621 - 627.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
C. S.R. Baker, O. Rimoldi, P. G. Camici, E. Barnes, M. R. Chacon, T. Y. Huehns, D. O. Haskard, J. M. Polak, and R. J.C. Hall
Repetitive myocardial stunning in pigs is associated with the increased expression of inducible and constitutive nitric oxide synthases
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 1999; 43(3): 685 - 697.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
Y.-T. Xuan, X.-L. Tang, S. Banerjee, H. Takano, R. C. X. Li, H. Han, Y. Qiu, J.-J. Li, and R. Bolli
Nuclear Factor-{kappa}B Plays an Essential Role in the Late Phase of Ischemic Preconditioning in Conscious Rabbits
Circ. Res., May 14, 1999; 84(9): 1095 - 1109.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
P. Ping, J. Zhang, X. Cao, R. C. X. Li, D. Kong, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, S. Manchikalapudi, J. A. Auchampach, R. G. Black, et al.
PKC-dependent activation of p44/p42 MAPKs during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in conscious rabbits
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 1999; 276(5): H1468 - H1481.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
P. Ping, H. Takano, J. Zhang, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, R. C. X. Li, S. Banerjee, B. Dawn, Z. Balafonova, and R. Bolli
Isoform-Selective Activation of Protein Kinase C by Nitric Oxide in the Heart of Conscious Rabbits : A Signaling Mechanism for Both Nitric Oxide–Induced and Ischemia-Induced Preconditioning
Circ. Res., March 19, 1999; 84(5): 587 - 604.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
Q. Li, R. Bolli, Y. Qiu, X.-L. Tang, S. S. Murphree, and B. A. French
Gene Therapy With Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Attenuates Myocardial Stunning in Conscious Rabbits
Circulation, October 6, 1998; 98(14): 1438 - 1448.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
Y. Guo, W.-J. Wu, Y. Qiu, X.-L. Tang, Z. Yang, and R. Bolli
Demonstration of an early and a late phase of ischemic preconditioning in mice
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, October 1, 1998; 275(4): H1375 - H1387.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
H. Takano, S. Manchikalapudi, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, A. Rizvi, A. K. Jadoon, Q. Zhang, and R. Bolli
Nitric Oxide Synthase Is the Mediator of Late Preconditioning Against Myocardial Infarction in Conscious Rabbits
Circulation, August 4, 1998; 98(5): 441 - 449.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Circ. Res.Home page
H. Takano, X.-L. Tang, Y. Qiu, Y. Guo, B. A. French, and R. Bolli
Nitric Oxide Donors Induce Late Preconditioning Against Myocardial Stunning and Infarction in Conscious Rabbits via an Antioxidant-Sensitive Mechanism
Circ. Res., July 13, 1998; 83(1): 73 - 84.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol.Home page
S. Pudupakkam, K. A. Harris, W. G. Jamieson, G. DeRose, J. A. Scott, M. W. Carson, M. G. Schlag, P. R. Kvietys, and R. F. Potter
Ischemic tolerance in skeletal muscle: role of nitric oxide
Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 1998; 275(1): H94 - H99.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bolli, R.
Right arrow Articles by Jadoon, A. K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bolli, R.
Right arrow Articles by Jadoon, A. K.