Effect of superoxide dismutase on myocardial infarct size in the canine heart after 6 hours of regional ischemia and reperfusion: a demonstration of myocardial salvage.

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Abstract
Available data demonstrate that oxygen free radicals and derived reactive species of oxygen are produced during myocardial ischemia as well as upon reperfusion of the ischemic tissue. The present study was designed to determine if polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD), with its extended plasma half-life in excess of 30 hours in contrast to the native form of the enzyme (Native-SOD), could provide protection to the ischemic myocardium subjected to a 6-hour regional ischemia followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. We hypothesized that myocardial injury due to an ischemic interval is a dynamic process involving the sustained production of cytotoxic oxygen radicals that may continue beyond the ischemic interval. The ability to demonstrate a protective effect of the free radical scavenger enzyme superoxide dismutase would require the continued presence of the antioxidant during the ischemic interval and especially during reperfusion. To test this hypothesis, 22 anesthetized, open-chest do...