Left ventricular mechanoenergetics under altered coronary perfusion in guinea pig hearts

Coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) is well known to affect left ventricular (LV) mechanoenergetics (Gregg's phenomenon). The garden hose effect via the Frank-Starling mechanism caused by coronary distension has long been considered to be the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon. However, recent studies have revealed a close correlation between CPP and the excitation-contraction coupling in myocytes. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanoenergetic aspects of Gregg's phenomenon by the ventricular contractility (Emax) dependency of the myocardial oxygen consumption (VO2)-total mechanical energy (PVA, systolic pressure-volume area) relationship. Experiments were performed in the excised, cross-circulated guinea pig heart preparation. The protocol consisted of LV volume loading (VOL run), changing coronary perfusion pressure at a fixed LV volume (CPP run) and intracoronary calcium (Ca) infusion also at the same LV volume (Ca run). In all seven hearts, we obtained a linear VO2-PVA relation in VOL run. The VO2-PVA relations in CPP and Ca runs, which equally enhanced Emax, were highly linear and had no significant difference in their slopes, both significantly steeper than in VOL run. These findings suggest no significant difference in the oxygen cost of Emax between CPP and Ca runs. The enhanced LV mechanoenergetics under increasing CPP is characterized by increases in the VO2 component primarily for the excitation-contraction coupling to a greater degree than expected from the mechanical (garden hose) effect.