Adrenochrome uptake and subcellular distribution in the isolated perfused rat heart

Adrenochrome uptake and its subcellular distribution were examined using isolated perfused rat heart preparation. The heart was perfused for 30 min with a medium containing 1 to 50 mg/l of 14C-adrenochrome and the subcellular fractions were isolated to measure their radioactivities. A decline in contractile force, a rise in resting tension and an increase in adrenochrome uptake by the heart were seen to depend upon the time of perfusion and the concentration of adrenochrome in the medium. The sarcolemmal fraction had the highest uptake of adrenochrome and this was followed by the microsomal fraction; some accumulation of adrenochrome was also observed in the myofibrillar and mitochondrial fractions. Either 10 or 20 min reperfusion of the heart previously exposed to 25 mg/l of adrenochrome, resulted in approximately 50 or 37% of the radioactivity remaining in the heart; this indicates irreversible binding of adrenochrome to the tissue. Reperfusion of the heart showed restoration of the resting tension but the contractile force did not show any recovery. Propranolol and iproniazid, which have been shown to inhibit the adrenochrome induced cardiotoxicity, reduced adrenochrome uptake by the heart, and prevented adrenochrome-induced depression in contractile force and rise in resting tension. These results indicate that adrenochrome is taken up by the heart and induces cardiac disturbances through its action on different subcellular organelles in the myocardium.