On-pump inhibition of es-ENT1 nucleoside transporter and adenosine deaminase during aortic crossclamping entraps intracellular adenosine and protects against reperfusion injury: role of adenosine A1 receptor.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The inhibition of adenosine deaminase with erythro-9 (2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)-adenine (EHNA) and the es-ENT1 transporter with p-nitro-benzylthioinosine (NBMPR), entraps myocardial intracellular adenosine during on-pump warm aortic crossclamping, leading to a complete recovery of cardiac function and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during reperfusion. The differential role of entrapped intracellular and circulating adenosine in EHNA/NBMPR-mediated protection is unknown. Selective (8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropyl-xanthine) or nonselective [8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophyline] A1 receptor antagonists were used to block adenosine A1-receptor contribution in EHNA/NBMPR-mediated cardiac recovery. METHODS: Anesthetized dogs (n = 45), instrumented to measure heart performance using sonomicrometry, were subjected to 30 minutes of warm aortic crossclamping and 60 minutes of reperfusion. Three boluses of the vehicle (series A) or 100 &#x3bc;M EHNA and 25 &#x3bc;M NBMPR (series B) were infused into the pump at baseline, before ischemia and before reperfusion. 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropyl-xanthine (10 &#x3bc;M) or 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophyline (100 &#x3bc;M) was intra-aortically infused immediately after aortic crossclamping distal to the clamp in series A and series B. The ATP pool and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Ischemia depleted ATP in all groups by 50%. The adenosine/inosine ratios were more than 10-fold greater in series B than in series A (P < .001). ATP and function recovered in the EHNA/NBMPR-treated group (P < .05 vs control group). 8-Cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropyl-xanthine and 8-(p-sulfophenyl)theophyline partially reduced cardiac function in series A and B to the same degree but did not abolish the EHNA/NBMPR-mediated protection in series B. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the cardioprotection mediated by activation of the adenosine receptors by extracellular adenosine, EHNA/NBMPR entrapment of intracellular adenosine provided a significant component of myocardial protection despite adenosine A1 receptor blockade.