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To provide a model close to the human heart, and to study intrinsic cardiac function at the same time as electromechanical coupling, we developed a magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible setup of isolated working perfused pig hearts. Hearts from pigs (40 kg, n = 20) and sheep ( n = 1) were blood perfused ex vivo in the working mode with and without loaded right ventricle (RV), for 80 min. Cardiac function was assessed by measuring left intraventricular pressure and left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF), aortic and mitral valve dynamics, and native T1 mapping with MR imaging (1.5 Tesla). Potential myocardial alterations were assessed at the end of ex vivo perfusion from late-Gadolinium enhancement T1 mapping. The ex vivo cardiac function was stable across the 80 min of perfusion. Aortic flow and LV-dP/d tmin were significantly higher ( P < 0.05) in hearts perfused with loaded RV, without differences for heart rate, maximal and minimal LV pressure, LV-dP/d tmax, LVEF, and kinetics of aortic and mitral valves. T1 mapping analysis showed a spatially homogeneous distribution over the LV. Simultaneous recording of hemodynamics, LVEF, and local cardiac electrophysiological signals were then successfully performed at baseline and during electrical pacing protocols without inducing alteration of MR images. Finally, 31P nuclear MR spectroscopy (9.4 T) was also performed in two pig hearts, showing phosphocreatine-to-ATP ratio in accordance with data previously reported in vivo. We demonstrate the feasibility to perfuse isolated pig hearts in the working mode, inside an MR environment, allowing simultaneous assessment of cardiac structure, mechanics, and electrophysiology, illustrating examples of potential applications.

Perfusion of the heart with bradykinin triggers cellular signaling events that ultimately cause opening of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K+(mitoKATP) channels, increased H2O2production, inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), and cardioprotection. We hypothesized that the interaction of bradykinin with its receptor induces the assembly of a caveolar signaling platform (signalosome) that contains the enzymes of the signaling pathway and that migrates to mitochondria to induce mitoKATPchannel opening. We developed a novel method for isolating and purifying signalosomes from Langendorff-perfused rat hearts treated with bradykinin. Fractions containing the signalosomes were found to open mitoKATPchannels in mitochondria isolated from untreated hearts via the activation of mitochondrial PKC-ε. mitoKATPchannel opening required signalosome-dependent phosphorylation of an outer membrane protein. Immunodetection analysis revealed the presence of the bradykinin B2receptor only in the fraction isolated from bradykinin-treated hearts. Immunodetection and immunogold labeling of caveolin-3, as well as sensitivity to cholesterol depletion and resistance to Triton X-100, attested to the caveolar nature of the signalosomes. Ischemic preconditioning, ischemic postconditioning, and perfusion with ouabain also led to active signalosome fractions that opened mitoKATPchannels in mitochondria from untreated hearts. These results provide initial support for a novel mechanism for signal transmission from a plasma membrane receptor to mitoKATPchannels.

This study analyzed the oxidant generation during ischemia-reperfusion protocols of Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, preconditioned with a mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mitoKATP) opener (i.e., diazoxide). The autofluorescence of mitochondrial flavoproteins, and that of the total NAD(P)H pool on the one hand and the fluorescence of dyes sensitive to H2O2or O2•−[i.e., the dihydrodichlorofluoroscein (H2DCF) and dihydroethidine (DHE), respectively] on the other, were noninvasively measured at the surface of the left ventricular wall by means of optic fibers. Isolated perfused rat hearts were subjected to an ischemia-reperfusion protocol. Opening mitoKATPwith diazoxide (100 μM) 1) improved the recovery of the rate-pressure product after reperfusion (72 ± 2 vs. 16.8 ± 2.5% of baseline value in control group, P < 0.01), and 2) attenuated the oxidant generation during both ischemic (−46 ± 5% H2DCF oxidation and −40 ± 3% DHE oxidation vs. control group, P < 0.01) and reperfusion (−26 ± 2% H2DCF oxidation and −23 ± 2% DHE oxidation vs. control group, P < 0.01) periods. All of these effects were abolished by coperfusion of 5-hydroxydecanoic acid (500 μM), a mitoKATPblocker. During the preconditioning phase, diazoxide induced a transient, reversible, and 5-hydroxydecanoic acid-sensitive flavoprotein and H2DCF (but not DHE) oxidation. In conclusion, the diazoxide-mediated cardioprotection is supported by a moderate H2O2production during the preconditioning phase and a strong decrease in oxidant generation during the subsequent ischemic and reperfusion phases.

We showed recently that mitochondrial ATP-dependent K+channel (mitoKATP) opening is required for the inotropic response to ouabain. Because mitoKATPopening is also required for most forms of cardioprotection, we investigated whether exposure to ouabain was cardioprotective. We also began to map the signaling pathways linking ouabain binding to Na+-K+-ATPase with the opening of mitoKATP. In Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, 10–80 μM ouabain given before the onset of ischemia resulted in cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, as documented by an improved recovery of contractile function and a reduction of infarct size. In skinned cardiac fibers, a ouabain-induced protection of mitochondrial outer membrane integrity, adenine nucleotide compartmentation, and energy transfer efficiency was evidenced by a decreased release of cytochrome c and preserved half-saturation constant of respiration for ADP and adenine nucleotide translocase-mitochondrial creatine kinase coupling, respectively. Ouabain-induced positive inotropy was dose dependent over the range studied, whereas ouabain-induced cardioprotection was maximal at the lowest dose tested. Compared with bradykinin (BK)-induced preconditioning, ouabain was equally efficient. However, the two ligands clearly diverge in the intracellular steps leading to mitoKATPopening from their respective receptors. Thus BK-induced cardioprotection was blocked by inhibitors of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) or guanylyl cyclase (GC), whereas ouabain-induced protection was not blocked by either agent. Interestingly, however, ouabain-induced inotropy appears to require PKG and GC. Thus 5-hydroxydecanoate (a selective mitoKATPinhibitor), N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine (MPG; a reactive oxygen species scavenger), ODQ (a GC inhibitor), PP2 (a src kinase inhibitor), and KT-5823 (a PKG inhibitor) abolished preconditioning by BK and blocked the inotropic response to ouabain. However, only PP2, 5-HD, and MPG blocked ouabain-induced cardioprotection.