[Effects of cardioplegia with tetrodotoxin on intracellular sodium overload of ischemia/reperfusion cardiomyocytes].

AIM: To investigate the effects of polarizing cardioplegia solution with sodium channel inhibitor tetrodotoxin (TTX) on intracellular free Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) in isolated cardiomyocytes of rat. METHODS: Ventricular myocytes with beating were isolated from adult rat hearts by enzymatic dissociation, randomly created in group base, group STH2 (contrast group of ischemia/reperfusion) and group TFX (treated group). Both Group STH2 and group TTX were arrested by St. Thomas No. 2 cardioplegia solution and TTX cardioplegia solution respectively, the arrest/re-beating cell model imitating MIRI being established, and imaged by laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) for measuring [Na+]i of cardiomyocytes in different period. The morphology of cardiomyocytes was observed under the inverted microscope. RESULTS: [Na+]i of cardiomyocytes in both group TTX and group STH2 after re-beating was higher than that in group base (P < 0.01), and [Na+]i in group TTX was lower than that in group STH2 (P < 0.01). During arrest, the elevation of [Na+]i in group TTX was lower than that in group STH2. During arrest, the elevation of [Na+]i in group TTX was lower than that in group STH2. Morphologically, after re-beating, the ratio of active cardiomyocytes with normal form in group TTX was higher than that in group STH2 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Contrast depolarized cardioplegia solution, TTX cardioplegia solution could alleviate ischemia reperfusion injury and intracellular Na+ overload of cardiomyocytes.

[Protective effects of polarizing cardioplegia with Na(+) channel inhibitor in ex vivo rat heart preservation].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effects of polarizing cardioplegia with Na(+) channel inhibitor tetrodotoxin (TTX) in ex vivo rat heart preservation. METHODS: Using a Langendorff preparation, Wistar rat hearts were arrested and preserved with St. Thomas (STH) solution (n=10) or with polarizing cardioplegia (TTX, n=10) for 7 h in hypothermic storage (10 degrees Celsius). All the hearts then underwent 30 min of reperfusion. Pre-ischemia and post-ischemia indexes of the rat hearts were determined, including the hemodynamic parameters, myocardial enzymology, ATP content and ultrastructural changes. RESULTS: The recovery of hemodynamic parameters of the hearts in TTX group were better than those in STH group (P<0.01). In comparison with STH group, the leakage of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in TTX group was significantly lower (P<0.05) and ATP level maintained a relative high level with better protected myocardial ultrastructure. CONCLUSION: TTX polarizing cardioplegia provides more effective long-term hypothermic preservation of isolated rat hearts than STH.