Abstract 995: Blockade Of Electron Transport Preserves The Contents Of Bcl-2 And Cytochrome c In Subsarcolemmal Mitochondria During Ischemia

Abstract

Cardiac ischemia decreases the rate of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and the contents of cardiolipin and cytochrome c (CYTc) in subsarcolemmal mitochondria (SSM) in the isolated rabbit heart. CYTc release first requires damage to the inner mitochondrial membrane to delocalize CYTc to the intermembrane space, followed by breach of the outer membrane. The decrease in cardiolipin content allows CYTc detachment from the inner membrane. It is still unclear how CYTc passes the outer membrane for release into cytosol. We propose that ischemia increases outer-membrane leakage by depletion of bcl-2 content, and that oxidants generated by the electron transport chain (ETC) during ischemia favor bcl-2 depletion. We used blockade of the proximal ETC at complex I during ischemia with amobarbital (AMO) to test the role of ETC during ischemia. Langendorff perfused rabbit hearts were treated with AMO (2.5 mM for 1 min) or vehicle immediately before 30 min global ischemia (37°C). Time controls were perfused for 45 min. SSM were isolated at the end of ischemia. CYTc content (reduced minus oxidized spectra), OXPHOS and bcl-2 (western blotting) were measured. Ischemia decreased OXPHOS with TMPD-ascorbate as substrate (electron donor to complex IV via CYTc) and the contents of CYTc and bcl-2. In contrast, AMO preserves OXPHOS, CYTc and bcl-2. Thus, blockade of electron transport preserves bcl-2 content during ischemia with enhanced CYTc retention by SSM. The ETC contributes to mitochondrial damage during ischemia, depleting cardiolipin in the inner membrane and bcl-2 in the outer membrane favoring the two steps required for release of CYTc from mitochondria during ischemia and reperfusion.