The present study investigated whether protein kinase C (PKC) plays a role in ischemic preconditioning in the rat heart. Chelerythrine, a specific antagonist of PKC, and 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (DOG), a diacylglycerol analogue and specific antagonist of PKC, were used to determine whether preconditioning could be blocked or triggered, respectively. Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized and instrumented for coronary occlusion and reperfusion. All animals were subjected to 45 minutes of regional ischemia (ISC) followed by 2.5 hours of reperfusion. The preconditioning protocol consisted of 5 minutes of ischemia and then 10 minutes of reperfusion. There were six groups: (1) control (group C, n = 5), (2) preconditioned and ISC (group PC, n = 6), (3) chelerythrine given 2 minutes before ISC (group CC, n = 5), (4) preconditioned and chelerythrine given 2 minutes before ISC (group PCC, n = 6), (5) DOG (dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO]) given 10 minutes before ISC (group CD, n = 5), and (6) DMSO given 10 minutes before ISC (group DMSO, n = 3). The end point was infarct size measured using triphenyl tetrazolium chloride and expressed as a percentage of the volume at risk (I/R), measured with fluorescent particles. I/R was significantly reduced by preconditioning (group C, 58.6 +/- 5.0%; group PC, 32.7 +/- 6.3%; P < .01) and by the PKC agonist DOG, which reduced I/R to a similar extent as preconditioning (group C, 58.6 +/- 5.0%; group CD, 28.0 +/- 7.0%; P < .01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Protein kinase C (PKC) and the ATP-dependent K+ channel (KATP channel) have been implicated in the mechanism of ischemic preconditioning in animal models. This study investigated the role of KATP channels and PKC in preconditioning in human myocardium and whether KATP channels are activated via a PKC-dependent pathway. Right atrial trabeculae were superfused with Tyrode's solution and paced at 1 Hz. After stabilization, muscles underwent one of nine different protocols, followed by simulated ischemia (SI) consisting of 90 minutes of hypoxic substrate-free superfusion paced at 3 Hz and then by 120 minutes of reperfusion. Preconditioning consisted of 3 minutes of SI and 7 minutes of reperfusion. The experimental end point was recovery of contractile function after SI, presented here as percentage recovery (%Rec) of baseline function. %Rec was significantly improved by preconditioning by the KATP channel opener cromakalim (CK), and by the PKC activator 1,2-dioctanoyl-sn-glycerol (DOG) compared with nonpreconditioned controls when these treatments were given before the SI insult (control group, 29.5 +/- 3.6%; preconditioned group, 63.5 +/- 5.4%, CK-treated group, 52.9 +/- 3.1%; and DOG-treated group, 48.0 +/- 3.5%; P < .01). The effects of CK could be blocked by the KATP channel blocker glibenclamide (%Rec, 17.8 +/- 3.5%). Preconditioning could be blocked by the PKC antagonist chelerythrine (%Rec, 24.1 +/- 5.0%) and the KATP blocker glibenclamide (%Rec, 24.8 +/- 3.1%). The effects of DOG could also be blocked by glibenclamide (%Rec, 23.1 +/- 2.3%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ischaemic preconditioning can induce myocardial protection in hypertrophied myocardium; this is the first study to demonstrate preconditioning in hypertrophy.

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