Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2002 Jan;35(1):11-19.

Effect of Pyruvate and Aspartate Enriched University of Wisconsin Solution on Myocardial Protection

• Lee JR
• Kim JS
• Han JJ
• Kang MC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ischemia-reperfusion myocardial injury is an important factor to determine the early and the late mortality of transplanted patients. Recently, modulation of the cytosolic NADH/NAD+ ratio by pyruvate and aspartate was tested to protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We added pyruvate and aspartate to the University of Wisconsin solution, and evaluated their effect on myocardial protection. We used 16 piglet(age 1 to 3 days) hearts. Eight hearts were arrested with and stored in the University of Wisconsin solution(UW solution) for 24 hours(control group), and the other eight hearts were arrested with and stored in the modified UW solution added pyruvate(3 mmol/L) and aspartate(2 mmol/L)(test group). All hearts underwent modified reperfusion with blood cardioplegic solution followed by conversion to a left-sided working model with perfusion from a support pig. And then, we measured stroke work index(SWI), high-energy phosphate stores, and myocardial water content of the hearts. SWI was calculated at left ventricular end-diastolic pressures of 3, 6, 9, and 12 mmHg after 60 and 120 minutes reperfusion, respectively. RESULT: At 60 minutes and 120 minutes after reperfusion, SWI was higher in the test group than in the control group significantly. The levels of AMP, ADP, ATP of the test group were also higher. But, the creatine phosphate level and myocardial water content were similar in the two groups.
CONCLUSION
From these results, we could prove that pyruvate and aspartate enhance cardiac contractility and high-energy phosphate stores after ischemia.

Keyword

Pyruvate; Aspartate; Myocardial protection; Oran preser vation

MeSH Terms

Adenosine Diphosphate
Adenosine Triphosphate
Aspartic Acid*
Cardioplegic Solutions
Cytosol
Heart
Humans
Ischemia
Mortality
Perfusion
Phosphocreatine
Pyruvic Acid*
Reperfusion
Reperfusion Injury
Stroke
Wisconsin*
Adenosine Diphosphate
Adenosine Triphosphate
Aspartic Acid
Cardioplegic Solutions
Phosphocreatine
Pyruvic Acid