[Involvement of NO-dependent mechanisms of apelin action in myocardial protection against ischemia/reperfusion damage].

Apelin 12 (A-12) was synthesized by the automatic solid phase method with the use of Fmoc technology. The synthesized peptide was purified by preparative HPLC and identified by 1H-NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Acute myocardial infarction was induced by 40-min LAD occlusion followed by 60-min reperfusion in narcotized Wistar rats. A-12 was administrated at the onset of the reperfusion at doses of 0.07, 0.35 and 0.70 micromole/kg; N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NOS inhibitor, was applied at a dose of 10 mg/kg 10 min prior to reperfusion alone or before A-12 administration (0.35 micromole/kg); saline was used in control. The indicated A-12 doses induced a transient reduction of the arterial systolic blood pressure (ASBP) to 85, 58, and 56% of the initial level, respectively, which was accompanied by its recovery by the end of reperfusion. All A-12 doses significantly limited myocardial infarct size by 26, 40 and 33%, respectively, compared to the value in control. After administration of A-12 at dose of 0.35 micromol/kg, this effect was combined with reduction of MB-creatine kinase (MB-CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities in plasma at the end of reperfusion by 56 and 47%, respectively, compared to the values in control. Inhibition of NO formation by L-NAME increased SABP but did not affect myocardial infarct size compared with that in control. Coadministration of L-NAME and A-12 resulted in lesser reduction of ASBP during reperfusion than injection of A-12 alone. This intervention led to an increase in infarct size by 26% with concomitant 1.8- and 1.5-times elevation of MB-CK and LDH activities, respectively, compared to the values in the A-12 group. The results indicate that NO is involved as a mediator of the effects of A-12 on the overall protection consisting in a limitation of infarct size and reduction of postischemic cardiomyocyte membrane damage. Cardioprotective mechanisms of apelin action are discussed.

[Effects of exogenous apelin-12 on functional and metabolic recovery of isolated rat heart after ischemia].

Apelin 12 (A 12) was synthesized by the automatic solid phase method with the use of Fmoc technology. The synthesized peptide was purified by preparative HPLC and identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Effects of A 12 were studied on isolated working rat hearts perfused with Krebs buffer (KB) containing 11 mM glucose. The hearts were subjected to 35 min global ischemia followed by 30 min reperfusion. A short term infusion of A 12 in KB (35, 70, 140, 280, and 560 M) was applied prior to ischemia (A 12 I) or at onset of reperfusion (A 12 R). KB infusion without A 12 was used in control. A 12 infusion enhanced recovery of coronary flow, contractile and pump function during reperfusion with the largest augmentation of these indices in A 12 I group. Thus after infusion of 140 M A 12 recovery of coronary flow, the LVDP HR product and cardiac output were 92+/-5, 81+/-5, and 77+/-5% of the initial values, respectively, in A 12 I group, 83+/-6, 61+/-5, and 52+/-5% in A 12 R group, and 76+/-2, 42+/-2, 32+/-2% in control by the end of reperfusion. Both A 12 groups exhibited significant reduction of ischemia/reperfusion contracture compared with control. Enhanced functional recovery in A 12 I group was combined with a decrease in lactate dehydrogenase leakage in perfusate at early reperfusion (at the average by 36+/-5% compared with control, <0.05). Preischemic infusion of 140 M A 12 markedly increased myocardial ATP content and twice decreased AMP accumulation at the end of reperfusion. These alterations resulted in enhanced preservation of the total adenine nucleotide pool (to 81+/-5% of the initial value vs. 66+/-3% in control, <0.05) and better recovery of the energy charge potential (0.77+/-0.01 vs. 0.60+/-0.06 in control, <0.005) in reperfused hearts. At the end of experiment myocardial lactate and lactate/pyruvate ratio were on average 5 fold lower in A 12 I treated hearts compared with control one and did not differ significantly from initial values. This finding implies that better restoration of energy metabolism in hearts protected with A 12 before ischemia might be attributed to ameliorated glucose oxidation during reperfusion. Therefore enhanced functional recovery of ischemic heart and lesser cell membrane damage induced by A 12 were associated with maintaining high energy phosphates, particularly ATP, in reperfused myocardium. Cardioprotective mechanisms of apelin action are discussed.