Protection of canine cardiac mitochondrial function by verapamil-cardioplegia during ischemic arrest

Hemodynamic and mitochondrial function recover following 60 minutes of ischemic arrest and reperfusion in hearts pretreated with verapamil. The present study was carried out to determine whether verapamil prevents the onset of mitochondrial oxidative impairment after 60 minutes of ischemic arrest without reperfusion. Two preparations of mitochondria isolated following Polytron homogenization and subsequent treatment of the myofibrillar pellet with Nagarse were examined for phosphorylating respiration. The Polytron mitochondria were more sensitive to ischemic arrest than were the Nagarse mitochondria with either glutamate-malate (57% vs. 22% inhibition), succinate (+ rotenone) (41% vs. 14% inhibition), or palmitoylcarnitine (57% vs. 27% inhibition) as respiratory substrates. Verapamil pretreatment significantly increased oxidation of all substrates by the subsequently isolated Polytron mitochondria, but only succinate-supported respiration returned to control levels. In contrast, the small amount of respiratory inhibition exhibited by the Nagarse mitochondria after ischemic arrest was insensitive to verapamil pretreatment. We conclude that the Polytron preparation of mitochondria is more susceptible to ischemia than the Nagarse mitochondria, and this susceptibility correlates with a striking sensitivity to verapamil protection. In general, oxidation of NADH-linked substrates, including palmitoylcarnitine, is more affected by ischemic arrest than succinate, and only oxidation of the latter substrate is totally protected by verapamil. The beneficial action of verapamil on mitochondrial function occurs prior to reperfusion. The data suggest that alterations in calcium homeostasis occur during the ischemic period, as well as in the subsequent reperfusion period.