Kouichi Ogawa

Altered Acetylcholine and Norepinephrine Concentrations in Diabetic Rat Hearts: Role of Parasympathetic Nervous System in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

The concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) as a parasympathetic marker and norepinephrine (NE) as a sympathetic marker were investigated in the hearts of rats 2, 4, and 8 wk after the inductionof diabetes by an injection of streptozocin (STZ; 65 mg/kg i.v.). ACh and NE were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Diabetic rats showed low body weight and heart weight at 2, 4, and 8 wk and higher heart-to-body weight ratio and bradycardiaat 8 wk, almost all of which were normalized after insulin treatment. Myocardial ACh and NE concentrations in the diabetic rats at 2 and 4 wk were not significantly different from those in age-matched control rats. However, ACh and NE concentrations in the diabetic rats at 8 wk significantly increased compared with the control rats. Diabetic rats at 8 wk also had increased myocardial choline concentration and choline acetyltransferase activity and decreased acetylcholinesterase activity. Insulin treatment normalized all of these changes in the diabetic rats. Thus, in STZ-induced diabetes (STZ-D), the concentrations of both cholinergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitters in the myocardium increased. The results of this study confirm a previously reported increase in sympathetic activity to the heart and also indicate that there is an increase in the synthesis and a decrease in the metabolism of ACh in STZ-D and that adequate insulin treatment normalizes these changes.

Alteration of 1,2-Diacylglycerol Content in Myocardium From Diabetic Rats

1,2-Diacylglycerol has been proposed to be a secondary messenger; therefore, in this study we evaluated the amount of 1,2-diacylglycerol in heart tissue from streptozocin-induced diabetic rats and examined the effect of insulin treatment on 1,2-diacylglycerol content. Diabetic rats had lower body and ventricular weights and higher ratios of ventricular to body weight, all of which shifted toward normal values after 4 wk of untreated diabetes followed by 4 wk of insulin treatment. The contents of major phospholipids were significantly depressed in the diabetic rat hearts. In contrast, the triglyceride and cholesterol contents in the myocardium were increased by streptozocin injection and completely normalized by insulin treatment, and glucose levels returned to normal. The 1,2-diacylglycerol content in the myocardium was also significantly elevated in the diabetic rats compared with age-matched controls. Moreover, the 1,2-diacylglycerol content was significantly higher in rats with 4 wk of diabetes than in those with 8 wk of diabetes. Insulin treatment in the diabetic rats, however, did not produce any decrease in 1,2-diacylglycerol content. The results of this study suggest that the development of cardiomyopathy induced by streptozocin injection is associated with a high 1,2-diacylglycerol level, which may result in the activation of protein kinase C. Insulin is one of the agonists that generates 1,2-diacylglycerol in myocytes; however, the relationship between the sustained 1,2-diacylglycerol level and the normalization of diabetes by insulin administration is unclear.

Roles of endogenous prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 in the ischemic canine heart.

Summary The ability of the ischemic heart to release prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) was studied, together with the effects of these substances on the ischemic myocardium in open-chest dogs. We measured the plasma levels of 6-keto-PGF1α and TXB2—which are stable metabolites of PGI2 and TXA2, respectively—as well as lactate and coronary venous blood flow. The dogs were divided into three groups of eight animals which received in-domethacin (5 mg/kg), (E)-3-[4-(l-imidazolylmethyl)phenyl]-2-propenoic acid hydrochloride monohydrate (OKY-046) (1 mg/kg), or the vehicle. A transient increase in 6-keto-PGF1α was observed in the great cardiac vein 5 min after the ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). TXB2 and lactate increased 30 and 15 min, respectively, after the ligation. Indomethacin prevented significant increases in 6-keto-PGF1α and TXB2, but accelerated the lactate release. OKY-046 prevented significant increases in TXB2 and lactate release, but did not counteract the increase in 6-keto-PGF1α. Although coronary venous flow decreased significantly 5 min after the ligation in every group, the flow returned to the preligation level 15 min after the ligation in the OKY-046 and the vehicle groups. Thus, we have demonstrated the release of PGI2 and TXA2 from the ischemic heart and suggest beneficial effects of PGI2 and of a selective inhibitor of thromboxane synthetase on the ischemic myocardium.

The effect of Coenzyme Q10 on reperfusion injury in canine myocardium.

The mechanism of mitochondrial damage during reperfusion injury of ischemic myocardium was studied using mongrel dogs in vivo and isolated mitochondria in vitro. Seventy-seven adult dogs were divided into three groups: the control group (n = 38), the Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)-5 mg group (n = 24), and the CoQ10-15 mg group (n = 15). In the control group, the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of the dog was occluded for 15 min followed by 5 min of reperfusion after 40 min of premedication with physiological saline. In both CoQ10 groups, 5 mg/kg or 15 mg/kg of CoQ10 was infused intravenously for 20 min and then physiological saline was administered for 20 min before 15 min occlusion of the LAD. Subsequently, reperfusion was allowed for 5 min. Each group was further divided into two subgroups depending on the presence (arrhythmia group) or the absence (non-arrhythmia group) of ventricular arrhythmias. Immediately after 15 min occlusion, myocardial samples were taken from the normal and reperfused areas to measure CoQ10 content of myocardium. Heart mitochondria were prepared after 5 min of reperfusion from both areas. Arrhythmias appeared in 12 of 38 dogs in the control group (32%), two of 24 dogs in the CoQ10-5 mg group (8%) and none of 15 dogs in the CoQ10-15 mg group (0%). Premedication with CoQ10 increased tissue CoQ10 content in a dose-dependent manner. In the CoQ10-5 mg group, the increase in CoQ10 content of dogs with reperfusion arrhythmias was relatively less than that of dogs without reperfusion arrhythmias. In each group, mitochondrial function was decreased in the arrhythmia group compared to that of the non-arrhythmia group. The increase in free fatty acid (FFA) content and the decrease in phospholipid content were also observed in mitochondria from the reperfused area of each arrhythmia group. The increase in FFA and mitochondrial dysfunction were induced by the incubation of mitochondria in vitro with phospholipase (PLase) A2 or PLase C, and protected by the addition of CoQ10. These results suggest that PLase plays an important role in the development of mitochondrial damage associated with reperfusion.

Reversal of ischemia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction after coronary reperfusion.

Abstract This study was designed to clarify the mechanism of the reversal of ischemia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction after a reperfusion of the myocardium in dogs. The occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min led to the significant increase of acyl-CoA level in ischemic mitochondria and the ischemic mitochondrial function was disturbed. Pre-infusion of 1 ml/kg of lipid before occlusion further increased the acyl-CoA accumulation in ischemic mitochondria, and concomitantly, the mitochondrial dysfunction was extended much more. On the other hand, 40 min of reperfusion following 30 min of occlusion diminished the accumulation of acyl-CoA in the reperfused mitochondria and restored the mitochondrial function. However, when lipid was pre-infused, acyl-CoA level in the reperfused mitochondria was still high and mitochondrial dysfunction was observed. Administration of carnitine prior to reperfusion not only suppressed the accumulation of acyl-CoA in the reperfused mitochondria but also preserved the mitochondrial function, despite the pre-infusion of lipid. There was a clear reciprocal correlation ( r = −0.97) between acyl-CoA level and mitochondrial function. These results suggest that acyl-CoA accumulation is one of the important factors in ischemia-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, and that reversal of the dysfunction after reperfusion is closely dependent upon the lowering of the acyl-CoA accumulation.

The effects of lipoxygenase inhibitor and peptidoleukotriene antagonist on myocardial injury in a canine coronary occlusion-reperfusion model

UNLABELLED We studied effects of lipoxygenase inhibitor (AA-861) and peptidoleukotriene antagonist (ONO-1078) on infarct size, polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNs) infiltration, gross myocardial hemorrhage and ventricular arrhythmias in canine coronary occlusion (2 hr)-reperfusion (5 hr) model. Infarct size (IS) and risk area (RA) were determined by dual staining technique. Thirty minutes before coronary occlusion dogs were randomly assigned to one of the following three groups: lipoxygenase inhibitor group (n = 11) receiving AA-861 3 mg/kg i.v., peptidoleukotriene antagonist group (n = 11) receiving continuous intravenous infusion of ONO-1078 1 micrograms/kg/min and vehicle control group (n = 15). Both AA-861 and ONO-1078 reduced infarct size [AA-861: 21.8 +/- 1.3% of RA (mean +/- SEM), ONO-1078: 22.5 +/- 4.4% vs CONTROL 54.0 +/- 6.4%, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.01, respectively] and area of gross myocardial hemorrhage (AA-861: 5.1 +/- 2.4% of IS, ONO-1078: 5.2 +/- 2.5% vs CONTROL 22.3 +/- 3.9%, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.01, respectively). Both drugs also decreased frequency of ventricular premature contractions both during occlusion and during reperfusion, and that of ventricular tachycardia during reperfusion. AA-861 inhibited PMNs recruitment into infarcted area. However, ONO-1078 had no significant influence on degree of PMNs infiltration. These results suggest that lipoxygenase products, especially peptidoleukotrienes (LTC4, D4 and E4) may play important roles in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemic and reperfusion injuries.

Sustained diacylglycerol formation in norepinephrine-stimulated rat heart is associated with alpha 1-adrenergic receptor.

We measured the amount of 1,2-diacylglycerol (DG) in rat hearts using thin-layer chromatography and a flame ionization detection technique, since 1,2-DG is thought to play a central role in the metabolism of phosphoinositide hydrolysis. In response to exogenous norepinephrine, a significant increase in 1,2-DG content in the myocardium was observed over 10-60 min, achieving an 80% increase over unstimulated controls at 60 min. On the other hand, the cholesterol content and six species of phospholipids were not significantly affected. In order to elucidate the mechanism of 1,2-DG accumulation elicited by norepinephrine, alpha- and beta-adrenergic antagonists were given. Pretreatment with phentolamine and prazosin, but not propranolol, inhibited the norepinephrine-induced 1,2-DG accumulation. Yohimbine appeared to have a partially inhibitory effect. These results suggest that myocardial norepinephrine-related 1,2-DG formation, which is likely to activate protein kinase C, is associated with alpha-adrenergic receptors, especially alpha 1-adrenergic receptors.

Acetylcholine and norepinephrine concentrations in the heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats: a parasympathetic role in hypertension.

To determine the role of the parasympathetic system in the development of essential hypertension, the concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) as a parasympathetic marker and norepinephrine (NE) as a sympathetic marker were measured simultaneously in the heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) at 4, 10 and 27 weeks of age, and in age-matched control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). ACh was measured using a highly sensitive and specific high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) attached to a newly developed immobilized fixed enzyme column system. NE was measured by conventional HPLC-ECD. The ACh concentration decreased in the order right atrium (RA) greater than left atrium (LA) greater than right ventricle (RV) greater than interventricular septum (IVS) greater than left ventricle (LV) in both SHR and WKY of all age groups, and NE showed an almost identical pattern. The concentration of ACh tended to increase and that of NE to decrease with age in both strains. The concentrations of ACh in the heart were significantly different in the two strains, with the levels being consistently higher in the SHR strain regardless of age, although differences were most significant at 10 weeks. The mean concentrations of NE were higher in SHR than in WKY, but the differences between the two strains were significant only in the RV and IVS. The functional meanings of a given tissue concentration of a neurotransmitter are still controversial. However, the increase in SHR heart ACh concentration, in parallel with the development of hypertension, may reflect the augmented parasympathetic activity counteracting or compensating for the augmented sympathetic drive in the early stage of hypertension.

Increased cyclic GMP in atrial fibrillation

To investigate the role of cyclic nucleotides in the genesis and/or the persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF), plasma levels of cyclic GMP (c-GMP) and cyclic AMP (c-AMP) were measured in dogs with electrically induced AF, and in dogs subjected to high frequency (230 or 410/min) atrial pacing. The atrial fibrillation threshold (AFT) after intravenous administration of a dibutyryl derivative of c-GMP (Dbc-GMP), and the effect of atropine (0.1 mg/kg) on AFT were determined. Plasma levels of c-GMP and c-AMP were also measured in patients during paroxysmal AF and sinus rhythm. The c-GMP level increased significantly 15 min after the onset of artificial AF, and gradually increased during the course of the experiment. The c-GMP level began to increase significantly 15 min after the initiation of pacing at the higher rate (410/min) but not at the lower rate, compared to the prepacing value. The c-GMP level continued to rise until the end of pacing in the animals paced at 410/min. Although Dbc-GMP induced a dose-dependent decrease in AFT, atropine did not prevent the decrease in AFT by Dbc-GMP. In contrast, c-AMP levels were not significantly affected in any of these experiments. Clinical assessment revealed that patients had almost four times higher c-GMP level during AF than during sinus rhythm, though c-AMP levels in these patients did not change significantly during the attack of AF. These results suggest that the increase in c-GMP plays an important role in the maintenance and/or the genesis of AF.

Effects of orally administered glandular kallikrein on urinary kallikrein and prostaglandin excretion, plasma immunoreactive prostanoids and platelet aggregation in essential hypertension

SummaryThe effects of orally administered glandular kallikrein on urinary kallikrein, aldosterone and prostaglandin E (PGE) excretion, plasma renin activity (PRA), immunoreactive 6-keto PGF1α and thromboxane B2 concentrations and platelet aggregation were studied in 12 patients with essential hypertension (EH). After a 2-week control period, each patient was given orally 450 KU/day of hog glandular kallikrein for 8 weeks. Urinary kallikrein, aldosterone and PGE excretion, and plasma 6-keto PGF1α and thromboxane B2 concentrations were measured by radio-immunoassay. Platelet aggregation was measured by the addition of ADP, collagen or ristocetin with an aggregometer. Urinary kallikrein excretion and plasma 6-keto PGF1α concentration were significantly decreased in patients with EH. There were no significant differences in PRA, urinary aldosterone excretion and plasma thromboxane B2 concentrations between control subjects and patients with EH. There was a significant decrease in blood pressure in patients with EH coinciding with significant increases of urinary kallikrein and PGE excretion and plasma immunoreactive 6-keto PGF1α concentration after administration of glandular kallikrein. There was also a significant inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by collagen in these patients. Thus, a suppression of the kallikrein-kinin-prostaglandin system in patients with EH was found, and a decrease in blood pressure with an increment of urinary kallikrein, PGE excretion, plasma immunoreactive 6-keto PGF1α and inhibition of platelet aggregation in vivo by the administration of glandular kallikrein.