Cyclic gmp prevents delayed relaxation at reoxygenation following brief hypoxia in isolated cardiac myocytes. Shah, Ajay M., Md, Mrcp, Howard S. Silverman, Md, Elinor J. Griffiths, Phd, Harold A. Spurgeon, Phd, and Edward G. Lakatta, Md. Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science (AMS, HSS, HAS, EGL), Gerontology Research Center, NIA, National Institutes of Health, & the Department of Medicine (HSS, EG), Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md; & the Department of Cardiology (AMS), University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
APStracts 2:0012H, 1995.
Previous studies in isolated cardiac myocytes suggest that impaired relaxation during reoxygenation following brief hypoxia results from abnormal Ca2+ -myofilament interaction. Recent studies indicate that cyclic GMP-elevating interventions selectively enhance myocardial relaxation. We investigated the effect of 8-bromo cyclic GMP (8bcGMP) on post-hypoxic relaxation in single rat myocytes, with simultaneous measurement of contraction and intracellular Ca2+ (indo-1 fluorescence). In control myocytes (n=11), reoxygenation after 10 min hypoxia markedly prolonged time to peak shortening (+36.5+/-4.2%) and relaxation half-time (+75.7+/-11.3% cf. normoxic values; both p<0.001), and reduced diastolic length, but did not change cytosolic Ca2+. Under normoxic conditions, 8bcGMP (50 [mu]M) slightly reduced time to peak shortening and relaxation half-time, and increased diastolic length, but did not alter cytosolic Ca2+. In the presence of 8bcGMP, there was no post-hypoxic delay in twitch relaxation nor decrease in diastolic length (relaxation half-time -5.8+/-3.3% cf. normoxic values; p<0.05 cf. control group; n=11). Cytosolic Ca2+ remained unaltered. Thus, 8bcGMP fully prevents impaired post-hypoxic relaxation in isolated cardiac myocytes, probably by altering Ca2+ -myofilament interaction.

Received 11 January 1994; accepted in final form 11 January 1995.
APS Manuscript Number H30-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Heart Circ. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 24 February 1995.