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Adenine nucleotide control of coronary blood flow during exercise

Mark W Gorman1, G Alec Rooke, Margaret V Savage

  • 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7290, USA.

American Journal of Physiology. Heart and Circulatory Physiology
|September 21, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its breakdown products regulate coronary blood flow during exercise. Blocking purinergic receptors disrupts this balance, supporting ATP

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Metabolic Regulation
  • Purinergic Signaling

Background:

  • The adenine nucleotide hypothesis suggests ATP, ADP, and AMP regulate coronary blood flow via purinergic receptors.
  • Previous work showed increased coronary venous ATP during exercise correlates with blood flow.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To test the adenine nucleotide hypothesis by examining oxygen delivery versus consumption balance during exercise.
  • To investigate the role of purinergic receptors in this regulatory mechanism.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments conducted on chronically instrumented dogs (n=7).
  • Measurements included aortic/coronary sinus catheters and circumflex coronary artery flow transducer.
  • Assessed oxygen delivery-consumption balance before and after purinergic receptor blockade and nitric oxide inhibition during exercise.

Main Results:

  • During exercise, myocardial oxygen consumption increased, and oxygen delivery-consumption balance declined, indicated by lower coronary venous oxygen tension.
  • Blockade of P1 and P2Y(1) purinergic receptors and nitric oxide synthesis inhibition significantly worsened the oxygen delivery-consumption balance compared to control.

Conclusions:

  • Results support the adenine nucleotide hypothesis.
  • ATP and its metabolites (ADP, AMP) are integral to the negative feedback system matching coronary blood flow to myocardial oxygen demand at rest and during exercise.

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