Achyranthes bidentata, a Chinese medicinal herb, is reported to be neuroprotective. However, its role in cardioprotection remains largely unknown. Our present study aimed to investigate the effects of Achyranthes bidentata polypeptides (ABPP) preconditioning on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury and to test the possible mechanisms. Rats were treated with ABPP (10 mg/kg/d, i.p.) or sa...

The present study aimed to investigate the role of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in the cardioprotection induced by ischemic postconditioning and to examine the underlying mechanisms. Cardiodynamics and myocardial infarction were measured in isolated rat hearts. Postconditioning with six episodes of 10-s ischemia (IPostC) significantly improved cardiodynamic function, which was attenuated by the bloc...

An essential role for protein kinase C epsilon (PKCepsilon) has been shown in multiple forms of cardioprotection; however, there is a distinct paucity of information concerning the signaling architecture that is responsible for the manifestation of a protective phenotype. We and others have recently shown that signal transduction may proceed via the formation of signaling complexes (Circ Res. 2...

BACKGROUND Mitochondrial large-conductance Ca2+-sensitive potassium (mBKCa) channels are involved in myocardial ischemic preconditioning. Their role in sildenafil-induced cardioprotection is unknown. We investigated whether sildenafil-induced acute cardioprotection is mediated by activation of mBKCa channels in the rat heart in vitro. METHODS Male Wistar rats (n = 8 per group) were randomized...

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to have cardiac protective effects through Akt activation. Akt acts as a 'central sensor' for myocyte survival or death; its activity is regulated by multiple kinases including PI3K, mTORC2, PDK1 and phosphatases including PTEN, PP2A and PHLPPL. Based on the previous finding that PI3K inhibitor LY294002 abolishes H2S-induced Akt phosphorylation and cardioprotecti...

Zhan E, McIntosh VJ, Lasley RD. Adenosine A2A and A2B receptors are both required for adenosine A1 receptor-mediated cardioprotection. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 301: H1183–H1189, 2011. First published July 8, 2011; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00264.2011.—All four adenosine receptor subtypes have been shown to play a role in cardioprotection, and there is evidence that all four subtypes may be ex...

AIMS While a wealth of data has uncovered distinct microRNA (miR) expression alterations in hypertrophic and ischaemic/reperfused (I/R) hearts, little is known about miR regulation and response to ischaemic preconditioning (IPC). METHODS AND RESULTS We analysed miRs in murine hearts preconditioned with six cycles of 4 min ischaemia via coronary artery occlusion, followed by 4 min reperfusion ...

We showed recently that mitochondrial ATP-dependent K(+) channel (mitoK(ATP)) opening is required for the inotropic response to ouabain. Because mitoK(ATP) opening is also required for most forms of cardioprotection, we investigated whether exposure to ouabain was cardioprotective. We also began to map the signaling pathways linking ouabain binding to Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase with the opening of mitoK...

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a gradually increasing reperfusion algorithm, in which the brief reperfusion was lengthened as the duration of each reperfusion/reocclusion cycle remained fixed, enhances cardioprotection. Rats were randomized into 5 groups: the sham, reperfusion injury (R/I), gradually decreased reperfusion (GDR; 30/10‑25/15‑15/25‑10/30 sec of reperfusion...

To determine whether opioid receptors (ORs) are involved in the delayed cardioprotection of ischemic preconditioning (IP), the effect of severe metabolic inhibition (MI) with a glucose-free buffer that contained sodium cyanide and 2-deoxy-D-glucose on the viability of isolated rat ventricular myocytes was first determined 20 hours after preconditioning with a sublethal metabolic inhibition (MIP...