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The aim of this study was to determine whether acute changes in [Mg2+]free occur during increased hydrolysis of cytosolic ATP, and whether these changes were of sufficient magnitude to be involved in the modulation of myocardial metabolism. 31P-NMR was used to estimate free cytosolic Mg2+ levels ([Mg2+]free) during hypoxia, isoproterenol stimulation, and graded low-flow ischemia in crystalloid perfused, isovolumic rat hearts. Cytosolic [Mg2+]free was calculated to be 0.73 +/- 0.12 mM in control hearts (100 mmHg hydrostatic pressure, 95% O2, n = 18). Cytosolic [Mg2+]free increased gradually during 10 min periods of hypoxia (65%, 50%, 35%, 5% O2), and 20 min infusions of isoproterenol (0.4, 3.0, 75 nM), to maximum values greater than 250% of control (P less than 0.05). During 8 min periods of graded low-flow ischemia (12.0, 7.2, 5.3, 3.4, and 1.6 ml/min/g), [Mg2+]free did not change significantly. [Mg2+]free displayed an inverse linear correlation with total cytosolic [ATP] during isoproterenol infusion (r = 0.87), and an exponential correlation during hypoxia (r = 0.82). The data indicate that acute changes in cytosolic [Mg2+]free can occur during conditions of net ATP hydrolysis although changes in ATP alone do not appear to be solely responsible for the changes in [Mg2+]free. Since the magnitude of the changes in [Mg2+]free are sufficient to alter equilibria of enzymes such as creatine kinase and myokinase, it is possible that these changes are involved in the acute modulation of myocardial metabolism.

The pathogenesis of post-ischaemic depression of contractility in myocardium was examined in isovolumic rat heart. 31P-NMR was used to monitor changes in ATP, creatine phosphate (CrP), inorganic phosphate (Pi), and [H+] during brief periods of ischaemia and reperfusion with and without allopurinol treatment. During 5, 10, or 15 min of total global ischaemia, the decline in function (rate-pressure product) correlated inversely with [Pi] (r = 0.92, P less than 0.01). Cardiac function exhibited a slow progressive recovery during 20 min of reperfusion, ultimately reaching only 85%, 78%, and 69% of its pre-ischaemic value following 5, 10, and 15 min of global ischaemia respectively. Following each ischaemic period [ATP], [CrP], [Pi], and [H+] all recovered to control levels within 5-10 min of initiating reperfusion. Allopurinol (2 mM) treatment of hearts made ischaemic for 15 min significantly improved contractile recovery to 89 +/- 7%. Allopurinol also exhibited significant anti-arrhythmic activity during the reperfusion period, decreasing the incidence of premature contractions and the duration of tachy-arrhythmias. Allopurinol had no effect on the final repletion of [ATP] and [CrP], or the recovery of [Pi] and [H+], although the rate of ATP repletion was elevated in the initial 5 min of reperfusion. These results show that neither depletion of the cytosolic high-energy phosphate pool, nor sustained elevations in [Pi] or [H+] are important in the production of post-ischaemic contractile impairment. The beneficial action of allopurinol suggests that xanthine oxidase derived oxygen free-radicals may be involved in the sustained contractile dysfunction following brief ischaemic episodes.

Adenosine may modulate blood flow and electrical activity in heart in response to changes in myocardial energy metabolism. In the present study, 31P NMR spectroscopy was used to examine the relation between cytosolic phosphate metabolite levels and release of adenosine into the venous effluent of isovolumic heart during graded low-flow ischaemia or metabolic stimulation with isoproterenol. When coronary flow rate was varied in steps between 1.6 and 12 ml/min/g, cytosolic ATP levels did not change significantly but the phosphorylation potential exhibited a linear correlation with flow rate below approximately 7 ml/min/g. Purine release (adenosine and inosine) correlated linearly with the cytosolic phosphorylation potential and free AMP concentration. Metabolic stimulation of hearts with isoproterenol (0.4, 3.0, and 60 nM), produced a significant fall in cytosolic ATP levels and decreased the cytosolic phosphorylation potential. Purine release in these hearts increased exponentially as the cytosolic phosphorylation potential dropped, and as cytosolic free AMP increased. These results support a link between the phosphorylation potential and the mechanism of adenosine production during ischaemia and metabolic stimulation. Presumably, this link is the activity of the enzyme 5'-nucleotidase, which is responsible for converting AMP to adenosine, together with the concentration of its substrate, AMP. In low-flow ischaemia, cytosolic AMP may control adenosine formation. With isoproterenol stimulation, a more complex relationship exists, indicating possible allosteric regulation of the enzyme(s) responsible for adenosine formation, in addition to changes in AMP concentration.

The relation between the PC/ATP ratio and left ventricular function was examined in the Langendorff-perfused guinea-pig heart over a range of perfusion flow rates. PC/ATP ratios were determined from the 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of hearts obtained at 80.98 MHz and ventricular function estimated by measuring pressure in the left ventricle. When flow rates were increased over the range 0.6 to 6.0 ml/min, the PC/ATP ratio increased from 0.64 +/- 0.05 at 0.6 ml/min to 1.82 +/- 0.12 at 3.8 ml/min with no further increase up to a flow rate of 6.0 ml/min. Developed pressure (DP) increased with the flow rate up to 6.0 ml/min but the end diastolic pressure (EDP) also increased. The DP/EDP ratio was found to correlate closely with the PC/ATP ratio over the range of flow rates examined. The PC/ATP ratio may be a practical index of myocardial function available to the clinician when the topical magnetic resonance technique is fully developed.

The isolated, perfused heart is known to exhibit a linear relation between aortic pressure, coronary flow rate, oxygen consumption and contractile function (rate-pressure product) over a wide range of aortic pressures. Our study sought to determine whether the cytosolic phosphorylation potential [( ATP]/[ADP][Pi]) is the link between mitochondrial respiration and contractile function in this preparation. 31P NMR spectroscopy was used to measure phosphate metabolite levels in isovolumic rat hearts during graded perfusion from 1.6 to 12.8 ml/min/g. It was found that an increase in contractile function paralleled the increase in flow rate, but that marked changes in creatine phosphate, inorganic phosphate and hydrogen ion concentration occurred only at lower flow rates. The cytosolic phosphorylation potential showed a high, positive correlation with contractile function at flow rates below 7.2 ml/min/g, which suggested that mitochondrial respiration was oxygen-limited and that the heart was ischemic. Thus, when oxygen limits myocardial oxidative phosphorylation, cytosolic energy metabolite levels may limit contractile function. At the higher flow rates studied, other metabolic controls may operate to link mitochondrial respiration and workload.

The 31P NMR spectrum of freshly prepared guinea-pig heart perfused in the Langendorff mode at 37 degrees C with medium containing either glucose or pyruvate as an energy source exhibited no inorganic phosphate peak making the determination of intracellular pH from the chemical shift of this peak impossible. By incorporating 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate into the heart to act as an alternative pH indicator, intracellular pH was determined to be 6.98 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- S.E.M. for eight animals). 2-Deoxyglucose was not taken up and phosphorylated by guinea-pig heart in the presence of glucose. Uptake and phosphorylation did proceed if glucose was omitted from the perfusion medium, but a large inorganic phosphate peak was present in the initial spectrum prior to 2-deoxyglucose addition. With pyruvate as sole energy source, an inorganic phosphate peak was absent initially and 2-deoxyglucose was taken up and phosphorylated. During a 12 min period of global ischaemia at 20 degrees C, when inorganic phosphate was visible together with 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate, a close correlation was found between the pH estimated from the chemical shift of inorganic phosphate and 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate over the pH range 6.3 to 6.9.

The recovery of high energy phosphate compounds in perfused guinea-pig heart at 20 degrees C after a 12 min period of global ischaemia was examined using 31P-NMR with a time resolution of 12 s. This time resolution was achieved by overlaying the data acquired from five successive ischaemic periods by arresting and restoring the flow of perfusion fluid to the heart in synchrony with the data acquisition sequence. The rate of creatine phosphate resynthesis after the ischaemic period proceeded 14 times faster than its rate of loss during the ischaemic period. ATP levels did not decrease during ischaemia and ADP was undetectable at any time. Estimates of intracellular pH from the chemical shift of the inorganic phosphate peak were impossible in normal guinea-pigs since the inorganic phosphate peak was not clearly defined. During the ischaemic period the inorganic phosphate peak increased in size and shifted upfield. On restoration of flow, the inorganic phosphate peak collapsed in a complex way following a different path to its formation during ischaemia.

To investigate the cause for the greater susceptibility of hypertrophied hearts to ischemic injury, we determined the interrelations of total work output, contractile function and energy metabolism in isolated, perfused normal and hypertrophied rat hearts subjected to graded global ischemia. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by giving rats seven daily injections of either triiodothyronine (0.2 mg/kg) or isoproterenol (5 mg/kg). All hearts were perfused at an aortic pressure of 100 mmHg in the isovolumic mode in an NMR spectrometer (7.05 Tesla). Heart rate, developed pressure, and coronary flow were monitored simultaneously with changes in pH, creatine phosphate, ATP and inorganic phosphate. During pre-ischemic perfusion, the total work output (rate-pressure product) of hyperthyroid hearts was 28% higher than that of control hearts, whereas hearts from isoproterenol-treated animals showed no difference. However, when related to unit muscle mass, work was normal in hyperthyroid hearts and 26% lower after isoproterenol. Contractile function per unit myocardium (developed pressure/g wet weight) was lower in the hypertrophied hearts. ATP content was the same in all groups. Creatine phosphate decreased 41% after triiodothyronine and 25% after isoproterenol. Inorganic phosphate levels and intracellular pH were similar in control and isoproterenol-treated rat hearts, but were higher in the hyperthyroid rat hearts. The phosphorylation potential and the free energy change of ATP hydrolysis were lowered by hypertrophy, the levels correlating with the depressed contractile function. At each ischemic flow rate, both work and contractile function per unit myocardium were the same for all hearts, but the relations between flow and phosphorylation potential were different for each type of heart. Thus, at low flow rates, hypertrophied hearts perform the same amount of work and have the same contractile function as control hearts, but with abnormal changes in energy metabolism, indicating that the relations of energy status to coronary flow, total work output and contractile function are altered during the process of hypertrophy.