Original Article

Ischemic preconditioning mediated by calcitonin gene-related peptide in isolated rat hearts

Shu-Sheng Xiao, Yuan-Jian Li, Han-Wu Deng

Abstract

AIM: To study the mediating effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in ischemic preconditioning in the isolated perfused rat heart.
METHODS: Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 3 cycles of a 5-min ischemia and a 5-min reperfusion before a 30-min global ischemia followed by a 30-min reperfusion.
RESULTS: Ischemic preconditioning caused an improvement of heart functions, reduced the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and decreased the release of creatine kinase (CK) during reperfusion (CK activities = 0.30 +/- 0.07, 2.03 +/- 0.49, and 0.92 +/- 0.40 U.min-1/g wet wt for control, ischemia-reperfusion, and preconditioning, respectively). However, pretreatment with CGRP8-37 (0.1 mumol.L-1) abolished the improvement of cardiac contractivity, the reduction of the incidence of arrhythmias, and the inhibition of CK release by preconditioning (CK activities = 0.9 +/- 0.4 vs 2.55 +/- 0.32 U.min-1/g wet wt, P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: CGRP is an endogenous myocardial protective substance that played an important role in mediation of ischemic preconditioning.
Keywords:

Article Options

Download Citation

Cited times in Scopus