• 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 103  (1) , 79-95
Abstract
In vitro myocardial tissue slice technique was used to quantitate the transmural distribution of alterations in cell volume regulation and membrane integrity following early ischemic injury and to evaluate directly the effects of therapeutic interventions in a system not subject to influences of coronary blood flow. Left circumflex coronary occlusion was produced in 57 dogs for 30 or 60 min. After in vitro incubation in Krebs-Ringer-phosphate-succinate medium containing trace 14C-inulin, typical values (ml H2O/g dry wt) for control nonischemic myocardial slices were 3.68 .+-. 0.07 (SEM [standard error of mean]) for total tissue water, 2.67 .+-. 0.07 for inulin impermeable space and 1.01 .+-. 0.04 for inulin diffusible space. Ischemic myocardial slices exhibited an impaired response to cold shock (0.degree. C for 60 min) and rewarming (37.degree. C for 60 min). After 60 min coronary occlusion, respective increases in total tissue water, inulin-impermeable space and inulin-diffusible space of ischemic slices were 25.5 .+-. 2.6%, 6.2 .+-. 4.9% and 84.4 .+-. 12.5% for papillary muscle, 22.2 .+-. 2.1%, 10.4 .+-. 4.2% and 52.5 .+-. 10.3% for subendocardium and 9.1 .+-. 1.5%, 7.2 .+-. 2.3% and 15.8 .+-. 5.5% for subepicardium. Significant but usually less marked alterations occurred after 30 min of coronary occlusion. Propranolol treatment in vivo (2 mg/kg) and/or in vitro (0.01 mg/ml medium) produced no significant changes in tissue water or inulin spaces of ischemic slices, compared with saline controls. Incubation in hyperosmolar mediums resulted in significant reductions in total tissue water and inulin-impermeable space with little change in inulin-diffusible space of both ischemic and control slices. Fifty mosmol polyethylene glycol (MW 6000) produced a greater reduction in tissue water and ultrastructural evidence of cell swelling than did either 40 or 100 mosmol mannitol (MW 182). The major effect of hyperosmolar incubation appeared to be a selective reduction in edema of cells with structurally intact membranes. In vitro studies with myocardial tissue slices provide evidence of widespread alterations of membrane integrity after 30-60 min of in vivo coronary artery occlusion. In vitro abnormalities of cell volume regulation can be partially reversed by direct osmotic effects on myocardial cells.