ORIGINAL ARTICLES   Free access

Minerva Anestesiologica 2011 August;77(8):789-96

Copyright © 2011 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Differential effects of the calcitonin gene-related peptide on cardiac performance in acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in isolated rat hearts

Liu N. ¹, Zhang L. Z. ¹, Han Y. ¹, Guo Z. ^{1, 2} ✉

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, Shanxi Medical University and Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China; ² Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology (Shanxi Medical University), National Education Commission, Shanxi, China

BACKGROUND.The cardioprotective effects of the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are known; however, the profiles of CGRP given pre- and postischemia as a therapeutic agent in acute myocardial ischemia and reperfusion remain elusive.
METHODS: The effects of CGRP on cardiac performance in isolated rat hearts subjected to 50 min global ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion were investigated.
RESULTS: It was found that global ischemia and reperfusion significantly decreased left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and heart rate (HR) and elevated left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP). CGRP (10-7 mol/L) given before the ischemia caused significant increases in LVDP (38±9%, P<0.05) and HR (16±5%, P<0.05), compared to the control. CGRP (administered at the beginning of reperfusion) significantly reduced LVEDP and left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) compared to controls by 30±7% and 28±7%, respectively (P<0.05). When compared to the pre-ischemia treatment, LVEDP and LVSP were reduced by 20±7% and 26±7%, respectively (P<0.05). No significant changes in the LVDP and HR were detected when compared to the controls. The effects of CGRP could be reversed by CGRP8-37, a specific antagonist of the CGRP receptor.
CONCLUSION: The results indicated a differential effect of CGRP on cardiac performance following acute ischemia/reperfusion.