Transmural distribution of extracellular purines in isolated guinea pig heart

The purine adenosine appears to be involved in regulation of coronary vascular tone. Little is known concerning the levels and distribution of adenosine and related purines in the extracellular fluid of the heart. We have measured epicardial and endocardial levels of adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine, AMP, and IMP in isolated constant flow perfused guinea pig hearts by using a recently developed technique with porous nylon sampling discs. Venous effluent purine levels were also measured. Concentrations of all purines measured, excluding IMP, were significantly higher in endocardial fluid samples than in epicardial fluid samples (P less than 0.05). Conversely, IMP levels were significantly lower in endocardial than in epicardial samples. The magnitude of the endocardial/epicardial ratios for adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine, AMP, and IMP were approximately 12:1, 4:1, 5:1, 4:1, and 1:2, respectively. To assess cellular damage, lactate dehydrogenase activity was measured in all fluid samples and was not significantly different in endocardial and epicardial fluid. These data support the existence of significant transmural gradients for extracellular purine levels in crystalloid perfused guinea pig hearts. Transmural differences in vasoactive adenosine levels may be partially due to the greater endocardial oxygen consumption and metabolism and may be involved in maintaining relatively high subendocardial blood flows in the face of high intramyocardial pressures.