Effects of dinitrosyl iron complex with glutathione and its components on ischemic rat heart during reperfusion

Abstract

The effects of the drug, a complex of dinitrosyl iron with glutathione lyophilized on dextrane, and its components: glutathione, nitrosoglutathione, dextrane, as well as nitric oxide released from dinitrosyl iron with glutathione--on the energy metabolism and functional recovery of isolated perfused rat heart subjected to global ischemia and reperfusion have been studied. The infusion of 100 nM dinitrosyl iron with glutathione after ischemia substantially enhanced the recovery of coronary flow, the cardiac contractile and pump functions during reperfusion with simultaneous preservation of myocardial high-energy phosphates, and cell membrane integrity. It was shown by the EPR method that these effects were associated with the transfer of Fe+(NO+)2 groups from dinitrosyl iron with glutathione to thiol-containing proteins of cardiomyocytes and coronary vessels. The combined infusion of 100 nM dinitrosyl iron with glutathione and 25 MM 2-(phenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide (PTIO), a nitric oxide scavenger, after ischemia profoundly reduced the metabolic and functional recovery of reperfused hearts. After the postischemic administration of a 100 nM aliquot of hydrolysate of dinitrosyl iron with glutathione (a completely decomposed complex), the recovery of coronary flow, the majority of cardiac function indices, as well as the myocardial metabolic state and cell membrane injury did not differ from those in control or were significantly lower. The results obtained demonstrate that that inclusion of Fe+(NO+)2 groups into myocardial tissue and a spontaneous release of nitric oxide trigger the cardioprotective mechanisms of action of dinitrosyl iron with glutathione on ischemic heart.