An increase of the native interstitial adenosine concentration during histidine application

Adenosine production and its interaction with protection of ischemic and reperfusion injury of the myocardium

Adenosine exerts cardioprotective effects on the ischemic myocardium. A flexibly mounted microdialysis probe was used to measure the concentration of interstitial adenosine and to assess the activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (a key enzyme responsible for adenosine production) in in vivo rat hearts. The level of adenosine during perfusion of adenosine 5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was given as an index of the activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the tissue. Endogenous norepinephrine (NE) activates both alpha(1)-adrenoceptors and protein kinase C (PKC), which, in turn, activates ecto-5'-nucleotidase via phosphorylation thereby enhancing the production of interstitial adenosine. Histamine-release NE activates PKC, which increased ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity and augmented release of adenosine. Opening of cardiac ATP sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels may cause hydroxyl radical (.OH) generation through NE release. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), an endogenous amphiphiphilic lipid metabolite, also increases the concentration of interstitial adenosine in rat hearts, through the PKC-mediated activation of endogenous ecto-5'-nucleotidase. Nitric oxide (NO) facilitates the production of interstitial adenosine, via guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP)-mediated activation of ecto-5'-nucleotidase as another pathway. These mechanisms play an important role in high sensitivity of the cardiac adenosine system. Adenosine plays an important role as a modulator of ischemic reperfusion injury, and that the production and mechanism of action of adenosine are linked with NE release.

[Adenosine production and its role in protection against ischemic and reperfusion injury of the myocardium]

Adenosine exerts cardioprotective effects on the ischemic myocardium. A flexibly mounted microdialysis apparatus was used to measure the concentration of interstitial adenosine and to assess the activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (a key enzyme responsible for adenosine production) in in vivo rat hearts. The level of adenosine during adenosine 5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP) perfusion serves as an index of the activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the tissue. Endogenous norepinephrine (NE) activates alpha 1-adrenoceptors to lead to the activation of protein kinase C (PKC), which, in turn, activates ecto-5'-nucleotidase via phosphorylation, thereby enhancing the production of interstitial adenosine. Histamine-induced release of NE activates PKC, which increases ecto-5'-nucleotidase activity and augments release of adenosine. Nicorandil, a hybrid of an ATP sensitive K+ (KATP) channel opener and nitrate, increases the level of interstitial adenosine via cGMP-mediated activation of ecto-5'-nucleotidase. Opening of cardiac KATP channels may cause hydroxyl radical (.OH) generation. Nitric oxide (NO) facilitates the production of interstitial adenosine, via activation of ecto-5'-nucleotidase. However, singlet oxygen (1O2) is a very powerful oxidant that causes inactivation of ecto-5'-nucleotidase to result in a decrease in the concentration of adenosine in rat heart. Adenosine plays an important role as a modulator of ischemic reperfusion injury. The production and action of adenosine are intimately linked to the release of NE.

[In vivo microdialysis technique on rat myocardium]

The microdialysis procedure is a technique that has been established for some years. The heart, however, has several difficulties in the application of this technique. The heart is the beating in vivo, in contrast to other organs. I developed the flexibly mounted microdialysis technique, which involves the synchronized movement of the tip of the probe with the beating heart to reduce tissue injury. With this technique, it is feasible to make stable and long-term measurements of interstitial biological substances. By employing the flexibly mounted microdialysis technique, I will demonstrate that the monitoring of free radical generation and the level of adenosine measured during AMP perfusion that gives an index of the activity of ecto-5'-nucleotidase in the tissue. In the future, this technique will have versatile applications for useful studies to elucidate the actual mechanism in the pathogenesis of heart disorders.