Upstream signaling of protein kinase C-epsilon in xenon-induced pharmacological preconditioning. Implication of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate dependent potassium channels and phosphatidylinositol-dependent kinase-1.

Xenon elicits preconditioning of the myocardium via protein kinase C-epsilon. We determined the implication of (1) the mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphate dependent potassium (K(ATP)) channels and (2) the 3'phosphatidylinositol-dependent kinase-1 (PDK-1) in activating protein kinase C-epsilon. For infarct size measurements, anaesthetized rats were subjected to 25 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Rats received xenon 70% during three 5-min periods before ischaemia with or without the K(ATP) channel blocker 5-hydroxydecanoate or Wortmannin as PI3K/PDK-1 inhibitor. For Western blot, hearts were excised at five time points after xenon preconditioning (Control, 15, 25, 35, 45 min). Infarct size was reduced from 42+/-6% (mean+/-S.D.) to 27+/-8% after xenon preconditioning (P<0.05). Western blot revealed an increased activation of PKC-epsilon after 45 min and of PDK-1 after 25 min during xenon preconditioning. 5-hydroxydecanoate and Wortmannin blocked both effects. PKC-epsilon is activated downstream of mitochondrial K(ATP) channels and PDK-1. Both pathways are functionally involved in xenon preconditioning.

Mechanisms of xenon- and isoflurane-induced preconditioning - a potential link to the cytoskeleton via the MAPKAPK-2/HSP27 pathway.

We previously demonstrated that the anesthetic gas xenon exerts cardioprotection by preconditioning in vivo via activation of protein kinase C (PKC)-epsilon and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). P38 MAPK interacts with the actin cytoskeleton via the MAPK-activated protein kinase-2 (MAPKAPK-2) and heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27). The present study further elucidated the underlying molecular mechanism of xenon-induced preconditioning (Xe-PC) by focusing on a potential link of xenon to the cytoskeleton. Anesthetized rats received either xenon (Xe-PC, n = 6) or the volatile anesthetic isoflurane (Iso-PC, n = 6) during three 5-min periods interspersed with two 5-min and one final 10-min washout period. Control rats (n = 6) remained untreated for 45 min. Additional rats were either pretreated with the PKC inhibitor Calphostin C (0.1 mg kg(-1)) or with the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (1 mg kg(-1)) with and without anesthetic preconditioning (each, n = 6). Hearts were excised for immunohistochemistry of F-actin fibers and phosphorylated HSP27. Phosphorylation of MAPKAPK-2 and HSP27 were assessed by Western blot. HSP27 and actin colocalization were investigated by co-immunoprecipitation. Xe-PC induced phosphorylation of MAPKAPK-2 (control 1.0 +/- 0.2 vs Xe-PC 1.6 +/- 0.1, P < 0.05) and HSP27 (control 5.0 +/- 0.5 vs Xe-PC 9.8 +/- 1.0, P < 0.001). Both effects were blocked by Calphostin C and SB203580. Xe-PC enhanced translocation of HSP27 to the particulate fraction and increased F-actin polymerization. F-actin and pHSP27 were colocalized after Xe-PC. Xe-PC activates MAPKAPK-2 and HSP27 downstream of PKC and p38 MAPK. These data link Xe-PC to the cytoskeleton, revealing new insights into the mechanisms of Xe-PC in vivo.

The noble gas xenon induces pharmacological preconditioning in the rat heart in vivo via induction of PKC-epsilon and p38 MAPK.

Xenon is an anesthetic with minimal hemodynamic side effects, making it an ideal agent for cardiocompromised patients. We investigated if xenon induces pharmacological preconditioning (PC) of the rat heart and elucidated the underlying molecular mechanisms. For infarct size measurements, anesthetized rats were subjected to 25 min of coronary artery occlusion followed by 120 min of reperfusion. Rats received either the anesthetic gas xenon, the volatile anesthetic isoflurane or as positive control ischemic preconditioning (IPC) during three 5-min periods before 25-min ischemia. Control animals remained untreated for 45 min. To investigate the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), rats were pretreated with the PKC inhibitor calphostin C (0.1 mg kg(-1)) or the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 (1 mg kg(-1)). Additional hearts were excised for Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Infarct size was reduced from 50.9+/-16.7% in controls to 28.1+/-10.3% in xenon, 28.6+/-9.9% in isoflurane and to 28.5+/-5.4% in IPC hearts. Both, calphostin C and SB203580, abolished the observed cardioprotection after xenon and isoflurane administration but not after IPC. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blot assay revealed an increased phosphorylation and translocation of PKC-epsilon in xenon treated hearts. This effect could be blocked by calphostin C but not by SB203580. Moreover, the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was induced by xenon and this effect was blocked by calphostin C. In summary, we demonstrate that xenon induces cardioprotection by PC and that activation of PKC-epsilon and its downstream target p38 MAPK are central molecular mechanisms involved. Thus, the results of the present study may contribute to elucidate the beneficial cardioprotective effects of this anesthetic gas.

Desflurane preconditioning induces time-dependent activation of protein kinase C epsilon and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 in the rat heart in vivo.

BACKGROUND: Activation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKC-epsilon) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) are important for cardioprotection by preconditioning. The present study investigated the time dependency of PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2 activation during desflurane-induced preconditioning in the rat heart. METHODS: Anesthetized rats were subjected to regional myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, and infarct size was measured by triphenyltetrazoliumchloride staining (percentage of area at risk). In three groups, desflurane-induced preconditioning was induced by two 5-min periods of desflurane inhalation (1 minimal alveolar concentration), interspersed with two 10-min periods of washout. Three groups did not undergo desflurane-induced preconditioning. The rats received 0.9% saline, the PKC blocker calphostin C, or the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 with or without desflurane preconditioning (each group, n = 7). Additional hearts were excised at four different time points with or without PKC or ERK1/2 blockade: without further treatment, after the first or the second period of desflurane-induced preconditioning, or at the end of the last washout phase (each time point, n = 4). Phosphorylated cytosolic PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2, and membrane translocation of PKC-epsilon were determined by Western blot analysis (average light intensity). RESULTS: Desflurane significantly reduced infarct size from 57.2 +/- 4.7% in controls to 35.2 +/- 16.7% (desflurane-induced preconditioning, mean +/- SD, P < 0.05). Both calphostin C and PD98059 abolished this effect (58.8 +/- 13.2% and 64.2 +/- 15.4% respectively, both P < 0.05 versus desflurane-induced preconditioning). Cytosolic phosphorylated PKC-epsilon reached its maximum after the second desflurane-induced preconditioning and returned to baseline after the last washout period. Both calphostin C and PD98059 inhibited PKC-epsilon activation. ERK1/2 phosphorylation reached its maximum after the first desflurane-induced preconditioning and returned to baseline after the last washout period. Calphostin C had no effect on ERK1/2 phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Both, PKC and ERK1/2 mediate desflurane-induced preconditioning. PKC-epsilon and ERK1/2 are both activated in a time dependent manner during desflurane-induced preconditioning, but ERK1/2 activation during desflurane-induced preconditioning is not PKC dependent. Moreover, ERK1/2 blockade abolished PKC-epsilon activation, suggesting ERK-dependent activation of PKC-epsilon during desflurane-induced preconditioning.