The Role of Cardiac Opioid Receptors in the Cardioprotective Effect of Continuous Normobaric Hypoxia

We studied the role of opioid receptor subtypes in improvement of the functional state of the heart during reperfusion after adaptation to continuous normobaric hypoxia. To this end, male Wistar rats were subjected to continuous normobaric hypoxia (12% O2). Then, the hearts were isolated and exposed to total 45-min ischemia followed by 30-min reperfusion. Opioid receptor antagonists were added to the perfusion solution prior to ischemia. It was found that continuous normobaric hypoxia reduced the release of creatine phosphokinase into the effluent, increased myocardial contractile force, and decreased the end-diastolic pressure during reperfusion; these positive effects were related to activation of cardiac δ2- and μ-opioid receptors.