Heart biochemical responses in miniature swine subjected to +Gz acceleration

Myocardial biochemical systems which are sensitive to hypoxic and ischemic insult were studied to determine the possible etiology of ventricular endocardial hemorrhage in miniature swine following +GZ stress. Unanesthetized animals were subjected to a single, 120-s +9 GZ acceleration. Approximately 1-2 h following +GZ exposure, the animals were anesthetized and the hearts removed for analyses. Acceleration exposure resulted in the loss of acid phosphatase enzyme activity from the membrane-bound lysosomal fraction with concomitant increased activity in the soluble fraction. This suggests that lysosomal membrane integrity had been disrupted. Mitochondrial preparations from +GZ-stressed hearts exhibited marked increases in active respiratory rate and rate of calcium transport while oxidative phosphorylation efficiency was unchanged. The results clearly indicate that +GZ acceleration is capable of altering myocardial biochemical systems. However, the results tend to suggest that these alterations in cellular processes may be mediated by influences other than hypoxia or ischemia.