Tissue protection by verapamil in the calcium paradox

The effect of verapamil (+/- 2 mumol/l verapamil) on calcium paradox injuries, as well as on hearts subjected to calcium-free perfusion alone, was studied in isolated perfused rat hearts. Three different protocols for calcium depletion (5 min) were followed: 5 or 45 ml of nominally calcium-free solution (1 or 9 ml/min), or 45 ml of nominally calcium-free solution to which 20 mumol/l CaCl2 was added. Ultrastructural analyses showed that verapamil protects against cellular injuries upon readmission of calcium to hearts subjected to partial calcium depletion (5 ml calcium-free solution, or 45 ml to which 20 mumol/l CaCl2 was added) by reducing the number of affected cells. No protection was found after more extensive calcium washout. However, in all groups examined, we found an inverse relationship between the number of injured cells and ATP content. Verapamil protected against contracture development and reduced the increase in tissue calcium content observed after readmission of calcium to hearts perfused with 5 ml calcium free solution, whereas no significant effect of verapamil on tissue calcium content was found in hearts perfused with 45 ml nominally calcium-free solution. In hearts studied after calcium-free perfusion no effect of verapamil treatment on the separation of the intercalated disc was found. The protective effect of verapamil could not be explained by differences in calcium or cAMP levels after calcium-free perfusion.