Role of oxygen radicals in canine myocardial metabolic derangement during regional ischemia

Abstract

To clarify the role of oxygen radicals in the development of myocardial injury during ischemia, production of lipid peroxides mediated by oxygen radicals was determined in in vivo dogs subjected to regional ischemia and reperfusion. Myocardial injury was assessed by derangement in energy and carbohydrate metabolism caused by ischemia and reperfusion. The production of lipid peroxides mediated by oxygen radicals considerably increased not only during reperfusion after ischemia but also during ischemia. Removal of oxygen radicals by administration of radical scavengers [recombinant human superoxide dismutase + catalase or N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine] completely prevented the increase in production of lipid peroxides during ischemia. However, the radical scavengers did not attenuate the myocardial energy and carbohydrate metabolic derangements caused by ischemia and reperfusion after ischemia. These results suggest that significant amounts of oxygen radicals are generated during ischemia as well as during reperfusion and that the oxygen radicals and subsequent lipid peroxidation are not major factors in development of myocardial injury during either ischemia or reperfusion after ischemia.