Lipid hydroperoxide modification of proteins during myocardial ischaemia

Lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) are lipid peroxidation products formed during oxidative stress. A component of their cytotoxicity is mediated by the direct modification of proteins.

(i) To assess whether ischaemia and reperfusion in the isolated rat heart generates LOOH-protein (ii) to characterise the extent, time-course and subcellular localization of any protein adducts formed.

Using a well-characterised antibody which binds to LOOH-modified proteins and densitometry of Western blots, we quantified the amounts of LOOH-protein in control aerobically perfused rat hearts and those subjected to ischaemia with and without reperfusion.

Hearts (n=3/4 group), analysed after various periods (0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 min) of zero-flow global ischaemia, exhibited a time-dependent increase in the LOOH-mediated modification of a number of proteins. In hearts subjected to 30 min of ischaemia and then reperfused for various times (0, 5, 10, 20, 30 or 60 min) no changes in LOOH-protein content achieved during the proceeding ischaemic episode were detected. Reperfusion after short periods of ischaemia (5 or 10 min) also did not result in reperfusion-induced LOOH-protein formation. Administration of mercaptopropionylglycine (1 mM) to hearts for 5 min before the onset of 30 min ischaemia efficiently attenuated the formation of LOOH-protein, maintaining the modified proteins at control levels. These Western immunoblot results were confirmed by additional in situ immunofluorescent studies which showed marked LOOH-protein immunostaining in ischaemic tissue around the sarcolemmal membrane.

We conclude that the modification of proteins (particularly those associated with sarcolemmal membranes) by LOOH during ischaemia may contribute to the pathophysiology of ischaemic injury. In addition, these modifications may be initiators of oxidant-induced signal transduction pathways. These findings are consistent with an oxidant stress occurring during ischaemia which is not exacerbated or reduced during the first 60 min of reperfusion.