Pentoxifylline Improves Reoxygenation-induced Contractile Recovery Through a Nitric Oxide-dependent Mechanism in Rat Papillary Muscles

Sodium hydrosulfide improves the protective potential of the cardioplegic histidine buffer solution

Since H(2)S has an emerging role as a cardioprotector, we hypothesized that NaHS addition to the new cardioplegic histidine buffer solution (HBS) could improve its cardioprotective potential. Male Wistar-Han rat hearts were divided in 4 groups: i) control, ii) perfusion control (perfusion only), iii) 6h ischemia in HBS or in a modified-HBS with 100 μM of NaHS, a H(2)S donor, (HBSM) and iv) as iii followed by 30 min reperfusion. During ischemia, aliquots of the cardioplegic solution were collected for NMR analysis. Heart mitochondria respiration and transmembrane potential were measured after ischemia or after ischemia followed by reperfusion. Proteins involved in the apoptotic signaling pathway were also quantified in both mitochondrial and tissue samples. Cardiac mechanic performance was evaluated by measuring the heart rate and the left ventricular pressure. In HBSM-preserved hearts, a) glucose consumption increased as well as lactate and alanine production during ischemia, b) heart mitochondria presented an improved phosphorylative efficiency, including decreased phosphorylative lag phase for complex I and complex II substrates, c) mitochondrial and tissue p53, Bax and caspase-9 were lower and d) there was a more positive atrial chronotropic response than in HBS-preserved hearts. We concluded that the addition of NaHS to HBS enhances glycolysis during ischemia, decreases mitochondrial dysfunction, especially by preserving the phosphorylative system, prevents apoptosis and during ischemia/reperfusion.

Sildenafil decreased cardiac cell apoptosis in diabetic mice: reduction of oxidative stress as a possible mechanism

Oxidative stress plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of cardiac cell apoptosis in diabetic patients. Sildenafil has been demonstrated to have antioxidant effects. In this study, the effects of sildenafil on diabetes-induced cardiac cell apoptosis and the antioxidant status of diabetic mouse hearts were investigated. Diabetic mice showed lower body weight gains and heart weights compared with control mice, and sildenafil treatment did not increase these parameters in diabetic mice. Although apoptotic rates, caspase-3 enzyme activity, and malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in diabetic mouse hearts than in controls, they were reduced in diabetic mice after sildenafil treatment. At the end of the first week, we observed no significant differences in antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, GSH-Px, and SOD) in diabetic and control groups, whereas at the end of the second week of sildenafil treatment, antioxidant enzyme activities were higher in the diabetic group. In conclusion, our study indicated that sildenafil was beneficial to hearts of diabetic mice by reducing cardiac cell apoptosis, partially because of its antioxidant effects in the heart.