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Hypothermia preserves myocardial function, promotes signaling for cell survival, and inhibits apoptotic pathways during 45-min reperfusion. We tested the hypothesis that signaling at the transcriptional level is followed by corresponding proteomic response and maintenance of structural integrity after 3-h reperfusion, Isolated hearts were Langendorff perfused and exposed to mild (I group: n = 6.34°C) or moderate (H group: n = 6, 30°C) hypothermia during 120-min total ischemia with cardioplegic arrest and 180-min 37°C reperfusion. Moderate hypothermia suppressed anaerobic metabolism during ischemia and significantly diminished left ventricular end-diastolic pressure at the end of ischemia from 52,7 ± 3.3 (I group) to 1.8 ± 0.9 (H group) mmHg. Unlike the I group, which showed poor cardiac function and high left ventricular pressure, the H group showed preservation of myocardial function, coronary flow, and oxygen consumption. Compared with normal control hearts without ischemia (n = 5), histological staining in the I group showed marked disarray and fragmentation of collagen network (score 4-5), while the H group showed preserved collagen integrity (score 0-1). The apoptosis-linked tumor suppressor protein p53 was expressed throughout the I group only (score 4-5). The H group produced elevated expression for hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and heme oxygenase 1, but minimally affected vascular endothelial growth factor expression. The H group also elevated expression for survival proteins peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor-β and Akt-1, These results show in a constant left ventricular volume model that moderate hypothermia (30°C) decreases myocardial energy utilization during ischemia and subsequently promotes expression of proteins involved in ceil survival, while inhibiting induction of p53 protein. These data also show that 34°C proffers less protection and loss of myocardial integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) transcriptionally activates multiple genes, which regulate metabolic cardioprotective and cross-adaptive mechanisms. Hypoxia and several other stimuli induce the HIF-1α signaling cascade, although little data exist regarding the stress threshold for activation in heart. We tested the hypothesis that relatively mild short-cycle hypoxia, which produces minimal cardiac dysfunction and no sustained or major disruption in energy state, can induce HIF-1α activation. We developed a short-cycle hypoxia protocol in isolated perfused rabbit heart to test this hypothesis. By altering cycling conditions, we identified a specific cycle with O2 content and duration that operated near a threshold for causing functional injury in these rabbit hearts. Mild short-cycle hypoxia for 46 min elevated HIF-1α mRNA and protein within 45 min after reoxygenation. Expression also increased for multiple HIF-1α target genes, such as VEGF and heme oxygenase 1. After mild hypoxia, VEGF protein accumulation occurred, although HIF-1α and VEGF protein accumulation were suppressed after more severe hypoxia, which also caused depletion of ATP and nondiffusible nucleotides. In summary, these results indicate that mild near-threshold hypoxia induces HIF-1α cascade, but more severe hypoxia suppresses protein accumulation for this transcription factor and the target genes. Posttranscriptional suppression of these proteins occurs under conditions of altered energy state, exemplified by ATP depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothermia before and/or during no-flow ischemia promotes cardiac functional recovery and maintains mRNA expression for stress proteins and mitochondrial membrane proteins (MMP) during reperfusion. Adaptation and protection may occur through cold-induced change in anaerobic metabolism. Accordingly, the principal objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that hypothermia preserves myocardial function during hypoxia and reoxygenation. Hypoxic conditions in these experiments were created by reducing O[sub 2] concentration in perfusate, thereby maintaining or elevating coronary flow (CF). Isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were subjected to perfusate (Po[sub 2] = 38 mmHg) with glucose (11.5 mM) and perfusion pressure (90 mmHg). The control (C) group was at 37°C for 30 min before and 45 min during hypoxia, whereas the hypothermia (H) group was at 29.5°C for 30 min before and 45 min during hypoxia. Reoxygenation occurred at 37°C for 45 min for both groups. CF increased during hypoxia. The H group markedly improved functional recovery during reoxygenation, including left ventricular developed pressure (DP), the product of DP and heart rate, dP/dt[sub max] and O[sub 2] consumption (MVo[sub 2]) (P < 0.05 vs. control). MVo[sub 2] decreased during hypothermia. Lactate and CO[sub 2] gradients across the coronary bed were the same in C and H groups during hypoxia, implying similar anaerobic metabolic rates. Hypothermia preserved MMP βF[sub 1]-ATPase mRNA levels but did not alter adenine nucleotide translocator-1 or heat shock protein-70 mRNA levels. In conclusion, hypothermia preserves cardiac function after hypoxia in the hypoxic high-CF model. Thus hypothermic protection does not occur exclusively through cold-induced alterations in anaerobic metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]