Contractile proteins in globally "stunned" rabbit myocardium

The isolated working rabbit heart preparation was used to study whether the "contractile machinery" remains unchanged in globally stunned myocardium. The function of the heart has been measured in nonischemic and postischemic conditions. The effect of isoprenaline or calcium chloride administration in both conditions was also studied. Myocardial contractile function was significantly depressed after 20-min global ischemia and returned to normal after CaCl2 and supranormal values after isoprenaline administration. From hearts used in experiments myofibrils were prepared and their ATPase activity was determined. It was observed that myofibrils prepared from "stunned" myocardium showed about 50% increase in ATPase activity in the presence of CaCl2. Subjection of the heart to ischemia caused a decrease in calcium sensitivity of the myofibrillar ATPase. Myofibrils obtained from ischemic hearts but subjected to isoprenaline or CaCl2 administration exhibited increased calcium sensitivity over that of control heart. These effects were accompanied by changes in the extent of phosphorylation of troponin I (TNI) and myosin light chains. The modification of contractile apparatus in the postischemic period described in this paper may contribute to the overall mechanism of myocardial stunning.