[The metabolic changes in myocardial subcellular fractions in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease]

In the myocardial mitochondria (MCh) of persons who had died from ischemic heart disease (IHD) the content of phosphatidylcholine (PCh) and cardiolipin reduces while the amount of the products of their hydrolysis--free fatty acids (FFA) and lysophospholipids--increases. This is evidence of the breakdown of the membrane MCh phospholipids (PL). The content of PL, protein, FChS, FFA, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine in the sarcoplasmic reticulum increases. The increase in the amount of PL, protein, and free cholesterol (FChS) may be explained by an increase of their synthesis due to myocardial hypertrophy which was encountered in all of the cases studied. The accumulation of FFA and lysophosphatidylethanolamine is probably not linked with PL hydrolysis (their amount in this subcellular fraction increases) but is a consequence of other changes in myocardial lipid metabolism. Thus, in IHD hydrolysis of PL prevails in the myocardial MCh and their synthesis in the sarcoplasma reticulum. These changes in the metabolism of the subcellular fractions may lead to damage of the membranes of the cardiomyocyte MCh, which may be the cause of disorders of electrolyte metabolism and contractile properties of the myocardium in IHD.