A gravidade da síndrome isquemia/reperfusão determina o prognóstico da lesão renal aguda (LRA). Agentes como o citrato de sildenafil (Sil) e a N-acetilcisteína (NAC) tem demonstrado efeito renoprotetor na LRA isquêmica com resultados ainda inconclusivos. Esse estudo investigou o efeito do Sil e da NAC na LRA com diferentes tempos de isquemia. Foram utilizados grupos de ratos Wistar, adultos e machos: SHAM; Isquemia 30 min (clampeamento dos pedículos renais por 30 min); Isquemia 30 + Sil (Sil 0,25 mg/kg 60 min antes da isquemia renal); Isquemia 30 + NAC (NAC 150 mg/kg antes e após a isquemia renal); Isquemia 45 (clampeamento dos pedículos renais por 45 min); Isquemia 45 + Sil e Isquemia 45 + NAC. Foram avaliadas a função renal (clearance de creatinina e fração de excreção de sódio-FENa); a lesão oxidativa (peróxidos urinários; substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico - TBARS; óxido nítrico - NO e tióis no tecido renal); a síntese protéica da óxido nítrico sintase induzível iNOS e da heme oxigenase-1 HO-1 (western blotting) e análise histológica renal (área intersticial relativa - AIR e lesão tubulointersticial). Os grupos 30 min tratados com Sil e NAC demonstraram melhora da função renal, redução dos índices oxidantes e NO, ausência de iNOS e presença de HO-1. Nos grupos 45 min, o Sil manteve a função renal, porém demonstrou proteção tubular e oxidante; a NAC não demonstrou efeito protetor em nenhum dos parâmetros avaliados. Quanto à histologia, apenas o Sil induziu redução da AIR e da lesão tubulointersticial nos tempos 30 e 45 min. O estudo confirmou que as características funcionais e histológicas induzidas pelo tempo de isquemia na LRA determinam as respostas às manobras farmacológicas de prevenção. A expressão HO-1 pode ser considerada um mediador de proteção renal. / Severity of ischemic/reperfusion injury syndrome determines the prognosis of acute kidney injury (AKI). Agents such as sildenafil citrate (Sil) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) have demonstrated renoprotective effect on ischemic AKI which data is still inconclusive. This study investigated the protective action of Sil and NAC in the AKI with different time of ischemia. Adult, male, Wistar rats were divided: SHAM, Ischemia 30 min (renal pedicles clamping for 30 min), Ischemia 30 + Sil (Sil 0,25 mg/kg 60 min before renal ischemia), Ischemia 30 + NAC (NAC 150 mg/kg before and after renal ischemia), Ischemia 45 min (renal pedicles clamping for 45 min), Ischemia 45 + Sil, Ischemia 45 + NAC. Renal function (creatinine clearance and urine sodium fractional excretion - FENa); oxidative injury (urinary peroxides, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances - TBARS, nitric oxide - NO and thiols in renal tissue); expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase - iNOS and heme oxygenase-1 HO-1 (western blotting) and kidney histological analysis (fractional interstitial area - FIA and tubuleinterstitial injury) were evaluated. Sil and NAC treatment in 30 min renal ischemia induced increase in renal function, decrease in the rate of oxidation and NO levels, iNOS absence and HO-1 expression. In the Ischemia 45 groups, Sil it maintained renal function, however demonstrated tubular and oxidative protection; NAC produced no renoprotective effect on any of the parameters evaluated. Histology studies showed that, only Sil induced reduction in FIA and tubuleinterstitial injury at 30 and 45 min ischemic time. The study confirmed that the functional and histological characteristics induced by time of ischemia determine the renoprotective pharmacological agent action in the AKI. HO-1 expression can be a renal protection mediator.

Isquemia e reperfusão (I/R) de vasos mesentéricos que acarretam insuficiência vascular aguda são acompanhadas de insuficiência em múltiplos órgãos e estão associados a altas morbidade e mortalidade. Os benefícios da solução hipertônica e da pentoxifilina foram testados isoladamente e em conjunto para melhorar o fluxo sanguíneo e o estado de oxigenação dos tecidos com redução da reação inflamatória e de apoptose, tanto no intestino quanto no pulmão enquanto órgão alvo. Foram utilizados 24 ratos Wistar machos pesando entre 200 e 250g distribuídos em 4 grupos (n=6). Foram submetidos à laparotomia e período de isquemia por clampeamento dos vasos mesentéricos por 40 minutos. O período de reperfusão foi de 80 minutos. A cada 40 minutos foram realizadas coletas de sangue arterial para gasometria. Os animais foram alocados nos grupos: grupo I/R (IR) onde I/R foi realizada e os animais receberam 4ml/kg de solução salina isotônica. O grupo solução salina hipertônica (SH) recebeu 4ml/kg de solução hipertônica a 7,5% e o grupo pentoxifilina (PTX) recebeu 30mg/kg de pentoxifilina diluída em NaCl 0,9% em um volume total de 4ml/kg ao final da isquemia intestinal. O grupo solução salina hipertônica+pentoxifilina (SH+PTX) recebeu ambas as soluções com volume total de 4m/kg no mesmo momento. As biopsias de intestino e pulmão foram colhidas ao final do experimento e foram submetidas à coloração em HE e à imuno-histoquímica para COX 2, caspase-3 clivada e Bcl-2. Os valores de sO2 revelaram diferença estatisticamente significante aos 40 (p=0,0099) e 80 (p=0,0074) minutos de reperfusão na comparação do grupo IR com os grupos SH e SH+PTX. Os valores de lactato foram estatisticamente significantes aos 40 minutos (p=0,0069) e 80 minutos (p=0,0098) de reperfusão, entre os grupos IR e os grupos SH e SH+PTX. A avaliação histológica em HE no tecido intestinal evidenciou diferença estatisticamente significantes na comparação dos grupos SH (p=0,0200), PTX (p=0,0200) e HS+PTX (p=0,0412) com o grupo IR, assim como no tecido pulmonar, que evidenciou diferenças estatisticamente significantes na comparação de IR com SH (p=0,006), PTX (p=0,0433) e SH+PTX (p=0,0040). A marcação citoplasmática de COX 2 revelou diferença estatisticamente significante ao comparar o grupo IR com o grupo SH+PTX (p=0,0015), Na avaliação do tecido pulmonar foi observado o grupo IR estabelecendo diferenças estatisticamente significantes na comparação com os grupos SH (p=0,0455), PTX (0,0143) e SH+PTX (p=0,0455). A avaliação de apoptose por imunohistoquímica para caspase 3 clivada evidenciou diferença com significância estatística ente os grupos IR e SH (p=0,0085) e os grupos PTX e SH (p=0,0120) em tecido intestinal. Em tecido pulmonar, entre IR e PTX (p=0,0090) e SH e PTX (p=0.0412). A marcação citoplasmática de Bcl-2 evidenciou que somente entres os grupos IR e SH+PTX (p=0,0012) se estabeleceu significância estatística em tecido intestinal No pulmão a diferença foi evidenciada em relação ao grupo IR e os grupos SH (p=0,0128), PTX (p=0,0085) e SH+PTX (p=0,0066). Conclui-se que o uso associado de pentoxifilina e solução salina hipertônica oferece os melhores resultados dos pontos de vista metabólico, inflamatório e da inibição da apoptose / Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) of the mesenteric vessels cause acute vascular insufficiency and is followed by multiple organs failure and high morbidity and mortality. The benefits of hypertonic saline (NaCl 7,5%) and pentoxifylline were tested to improve metabolic and oxygen status of tissues with reduced inflammatory reaction and apoptosis, both in the gut as in the lung as target organ. 24 male Wistar rats weighing 200 to 250g. They underwent laparotomy and ischemia by clamping the mesenteric vessels for 40 minutes. The reperfusion period was 80-minute long. Every 40 minutes, blood was collected for arterial gas analysis. The animals were set into 4 groups (n=6): I/R (IR) received isotonic saline just before reperfusion (4ml/kg). Hypertonic saline group (HS) received 7.5% hypertonic saline solution (4ml/kg) and Pentoxifylline group (PTX) received pentoxifylline (30mg/kg)diluted in NaCl 0.9% at the end of the mesenteric ischemia. Hypertonic saline+pentoxifylline group (SH-PTX) received both solutions at the same doses. Biopsies of intestine and lung were collected at the end of the experiment and were subjected to HE staining and immunohistochemistry staining to COX 2, cleaved caspase-3 and Bcl-2. About the values of sO2, a statistically significant difference was established when groups were compared at 40 (p=0.0099) minutes and 80 (p=0.0074) of reperfusion. The lactate values were statistically significant after 40 (p=0.0069) and 80 (p=0.098) minutes of reperfusion as well. Histological evaluation with HE revealed a statistically significant difference in the comparison of SH (p=0.0200), PTX (p=0.0200) and HS + PTX (p=0.0412) groups compared to IR group in intestine tissue and SH (p=0.0006), PTX (p=0.0433) and HS + PTX (p=0.040) in lung tissue. Cytoplasmic staining of COX 2 revealed a statistically significant difference when comparing IR (p=0.0015) to HS+PTX in intestinal tissue. The evaluation of the lung tissue for COX 2 showed IR group setting statistically significance when compared to HS 9p=0,045), PTX (0.0143) and HS+PTX (p=0.0455) groups. The evaluation of apoptosis by immunohistochemistry for cleaved caspase 3 revealed that there was a significant difference between IR versus SH (p=0.0085) and PTX versus HS (p= 0.0120) in intestinal tissue and IR versus PTX (p=0,0090) and PTX versus SH (p=0.0412) in lung tissue. The cytoplasmic Bcl-2 expression shows that only between groups IR versus HS+PTX (p = 0.0012) statistical significance was established in intestinal tissue. Lung tissue showed the difference was evidenced in relation to IR versus SH (p=0.0128), PTX (p=0.0085) and HS+PTX (p=0.0066). It may be concluded that the combined use of pentoxifylline and hypertonic saline offers best results on metabolic, inflammatory and apoptosis inhibitory aspects

A obstrução intestinal mecânica representa uma condição de urgência, necessitando diagnóstico precoce e terapêutica adequada, em virtude do seu elevado grau de morbidade e de mortalidade. Desta forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da N-acetilcisteína associada ao Ringer lactato ou à solução salina hipertônica na resposta inflamatória, histologia e translocação bacteriana em modelo experimental de obstrução e isquemia intestinal. Para tanto, Foram constituídos quatro grupos experimentais, com 10 ratos Wistar em cada, além do grupo de referência: OI - Submetidos a obstrução e isquemia intestinal e enterectomia com anastomose intestinal, sem reanimação volêmica; RL - Submetidos a obstrução e isquemia intestinal, reanimação volêmica com Ringer lactato (32ml/kg, i.v., em 10 minutos) e enterectomia com anastomose intestinal; RLNAC - Submetidos a obstrução e isquemia intestinal, reanimação volêmica com Ringer lactato associado a NAC (32ml/kg + 150 mg/kg i.v. em 10 minutos) e enterectomia com anastomose intestinal; SHNAC - Submetidos a obstrução e isquemia intestinal, reanimação volêmica com solução salina hipertônica a 7,5% associado com NAC (4ml/kg + 150 mg/kg i.v., em 10 minutos) e enterectomia com anastomose intestinal. Grupo Referência (n=5): Animais anestesiados, submetidos a coleta de materiais para cultura e histologia e sacrificados por exsanguinação. Os animais receberam uma associação anestésica de cetamina e xilazina intramuscular em membro posterior direito, na dose de 60mg/kg e 10mg/kg, respectivamente. Decorridas 24 h do tratamento, a eutanásia foi realizada por exanguinação, sob anestesia, após a coleta dos tecidos / Mechanical intestinal obstruction represents a condition of urgency, necessary early diagnosis and appropriate therapy, due to their high degree of morbidity and mortality. In this way, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of N-acetylcysteine associated with lactated Ringer\'s or hypertonic saline solution in the inflammatory response, histology and translocation in an experimental model of intestinal obstruction and ischemia. For Four experimental groups were constituted with 10 Wistar rats each, in addition to the reference group: OI - submitted to obstruction and ischemia intestinal and enterectomy with intestinal anastomosis, without volume resuscitation; RL - Undergoing intestinal obstruction and ischemia, volume resuscitation with Ringer\'s lactate (32ml / kg, i.v., within 10 minutes) and anastomosis enterectomy intestinal; RLNAC - Undergoing obstruction and intestinal ischemia, resuscitation with lactated Ringer\'s lactating NAC (32 ml / kg + 150 mg / kg i.v. in 10 minutes) and enterectomy with intestinal anastomosis; SHNAC - Submitted to obstruction and intestinal ischemia, volume resuscitation with saline solution hypertension at 7.5% associated with CAP (4 ml / kg + 150 mg / kg i.v., in 10 minutes) and enterectomy with intestinal anastomosis. Reference Group (n = 5): Anesthetized animals, submitted to collection of materials for culture and histology and sacrificed by exsanguination. The animals received a anesthetic association of ketamine and intramuscular xylazine in limb posterior right, at the dose of 60mg / kg and 10mg / kg, respectively. After 24 h of treatment, euthanasia was performed by exsanguination, under anesthesia, after collection of tissues

Abstract Ischaemic cerebral injury follows a well attested sequence of events including three phases, i.e. depolarization, biochemical cascade and reperfusion injury. Glutamate excitotoxicity plays an important role in the development of ischaemic brain injury following prolonged hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA), and leukocyte infiltration and a cytokine-mediated inflammatory reaction are known to play a pivotal role in the reperfusion phase. The aim of this series of experimental studies was to develop biochemical and reperfusion-related strategies to improve brain protection. We tested the hypotheses that the Na+ channel blocker lamotrigine (I) or the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate-receptor antagonist memantine (III) could improve the cerebral outcome after HCA and studied whether a leukocyte-depletion filter (L-DF; LeukoGuard LG6®, Pall Biomedical, Portsmouth, U.K) could mitigate brain injury (II). The aim of the fourth study was to find out whether lamotrigine combined with the leukocyte-depleting filter can potentiate cerebral protection (IV). A chronic porcine model was used, in which haemodynamic, electrophysiological, metabolic and temperature monitoring were performed for four hours after the instigation of rewarming and S-100β measured up to 20 hours. Cytokines were measured, microdialysis was performed, and daily behavioural assessments were made until death or elective sacrifice on the seventh postoperative day, upon which a histopathological analysis of the brain was carried out. The rate of EEG burst recovery was higher in the lamotrigine-treated animals, the median being 40% of the baseline compared with 17% in the placebo group at 4 hours after the start of rewarming (p = 0.02) and 80% compared with 20% at 4 hours (p = 0.01). Complete behavioural recovery was seen in 5/8 of cases (63%) after lamotrigine administration, compared with 1/8 (13%) in the placebo group (p = 0.02). The median behavioural score among the animals that survived for 7 days was higher in the lamotrigine group (8) than in the controls (7) (p = 0.02). Mortality was 2/10 in the L-DF group and 5/10 in the controls, the median behavioural score on day 7 being higher in the L-DF group (8.5 vs. 3.5 p = 0.04). The median of the total histopathological score was 6.5 in the L-DF group and 15.5 in the control group (p = 0.005). In the memantine group 5/10 animals survived seven days, as compared with 9/10 in the placebo group, and the median behavioural score on day 7 was 3.5 compared with 7.5 in the placebo group (p = 0.39). The median of the total histopathological score was 16 in the memantine group and 14 in the placebo group (p = 0.25). In the LD-F + lamotrigine group 7/8 animals survived for seven days, as compared with 4/8 in the lamotrigine only group and 3/8 among the controls. EEG burst recovery 7 hours after the start of rewarming was highest in the LDF + lamotrigine group, the median being 94% (p = 0.024 vs. controls), compared with 81% in the lamotrigine group and 64% in the control group. The median behavioural score on day 7 was 9 in the LD-F + lamotrigine group (p = 0.004 vs. controls), 4 in the lamotrigine group and 0 in the control group, while the median of total histopathological score was 14 (p = 0.046 vs controls), 14.5 (p = 0.062 vs. controls) and 21, respectively. The control group had the highest intracerebral lactate, glutamate and glycerol levels after HCA. In conclusion, the results indicate that the NA+ channel blocker lamotrigine improves the neurological outcome after a prolonged period of HCA but that the NMDA receptor antagonist memantine does not have this property in the present setting. The leukocyte-depleting filter mitigates brain injury after a prolonged period of HCA, and lamotrigine can potentiate this effect.

Abstract Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass induces the activation of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and results in at least some degree of global myocardial ischemia. Although these responses are usually short-lived, they may lead to serious complications and organ system failures. The present study evaluated the effects of high-dose glucose-insulin (1IU/kg/h) treatment (GIK) administered with the hyperinsulinemic normoglycemic clamp technique and a leukocyte-depleting filter on markers of systemic inflammatory response and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in certain cardiac surgical risk groups. The study involved four prospective randomized controlled clinical trials and 119 patients. Cardioprotective effects were measured as myocardial enzyme release, recovery of contractile function and incidence of arrhythmias in all studies. The hemodynamic and metabolic effects of high-dose glucose-insulin treatment were evaluated in patients admitted for combined aortic valve (AS) and coronary surgery (40) and for urgent coronary surgery (39), and the latter study also involved proinflammatory cytokine and C-reactive protein analyses. The impacts of leukocyte filter on the expression of neutrophil adhesion molecules along with proinflammatory cytokines were evaluated in patients admitted for combined aortic valve (AS) and coronary surgery (20) and for solitary coronary surgery (20). The high-dose glucose-insulin treatment was associated with better preserved myocardial contractile function and less need for inotropic support after combined aortic valve and coronary surgery (I) and attenuation of postoperative CRP release after urgent coronary surgery (II). No effects on postoperative myocardial enzyme release (I, II) or on proinflammatory cytokine responses (II) were detected. The number of hypoglycemic events was low. The use of a leukocyte filter throughout the cardiopulmonary bypass period increased the neutrophil adhesion molecule CD11b expression in patients with both normal and prolonged CPB times and was associated with an enhanced proinflammatory cytokine response (III, IV). In conclusion, high-dose glucose-insulin treatment is safe, but requires strict control of blood glucose level. It reduces the need for inotropic support in patients with compromised cardiac status. The use of leukocyte filter leads to increased leukocyte activation and proinflammatory reaction.

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are G-protein coupled receptors that mediate various actions of Acetylcholine (ACh) in the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. In mammals, five distinct mAChR subtypes (M1-M5) have been recognised with the M2 subtype being predominantly present in the heart. The mAChR antagonists are routinely used for the treatment of various pathophysiological conditions including respiratory conditions. However, it has been postulated that mAChR antagonists may increase morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and asthma patients with underlying cardiovascular disease, raising concerns regarding the cardiovascular safety of these agents. The current study was therefore undertaken to investigate the effects of individual mAChR antagonists in the setting of myocardial ischaemia reperfusion injury and oxidative stress models. We also investigated whether the inhibition of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) with cyclosporine-A (CsA) in the presence and absence of individual mAChR antagonists provided protection against ischaemia reperfusion injury. Furthermore, we also aimed to investigate the intracellular signalling pathway associated with mAChRs antagonists mediated myocardial injury under the stress conditions. Langendorff results showed that the non-selective M1-M3 mAChR antagonist, ipratropium bromide, the M2 mAChR antagonist, AF-DX 116 and the M3 mAChR antagonist, DAU 5884 significantly increased the infarct size to risk ratio of the heart in conditions of ischaemia and reperfusion. Detrimental effects of AF-DX 116 and DAU 5884 were abrogated by co-treatment of these drugs with mAChR agonist, acetylcholine (ACh) and/or CsA. Cell viability data of isolated cardiac myocytes revealed that AF-DX 116 and DAU 5884 caused a concentration dependent decrease in the viability of cardiac myocytes as well as causing a reduction in the time taken to depolarisation and hypercontracture under oxidative stress. AF-DX 116 and DAU 5884 significantly increased the levels of p-SAPK/JNK and decreased the levels of p-Akt and p-ERK. In addition, ACh and CsA showed to activate p-Akt and p-ERK. To conclude, the data suggest that AF-DX 116 and DAU 5884 caused cardiotoxicity at cellular, tissue and protein level in conditions of ischaemia reperfusion injury and oxidative stress. Furthermore, inhibition of the mitochondrial transition pore with CsA protected against the AF-DX 116 and DAU 5884 induced injury via activation of the pro-survival proteins, p-Akt and p-ERK.

Magister Scientiae (Medical Bioscience) - MSc(MBS) / Cardiovascular disease is a major health problem and remains the number one cause of death worldwide. For centuries, medicinal plants have been used in different cultures as medicines for the treatment and control of various diseases. Olea africana, also known as the wild olive, is amongst the herbal plants used by people to treat many ailments.Recently, scientific studies on the hypotensive, vasodilatory and antidysarrhythmic effects of O. africana have been reported. Triterpenoids isolated from the O. africana leaves, for example, have antioxidant properties. The aqueous extract from the leaves of O. africana also have angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory effects. ACE inhibitors and antioxidants protect the heart against ischemic-reperfusion injury. The serine / threonine protein kinase B (PKB) also known as Akt is activated downstream of phosphoinositide 3- (PI-3) kinase (PI-3-Kinase) and is involved in cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Angiotensin II (AII) decreases the intrinsic PI-3-kinase activity. In this study, we hypothesized that ACE inhibitors increase PI-3-kinase activity and thus activates PKB. The aims of this study were: 1) to determine whether treatment with the crude aqueous extract of leaves of O. africana protect the heart against ischemic-reperfusion injury and 2) if so, to determine whether the protection is mediated via the PKB signaling mechanism. Hearts isolated from male Wistar rats were perfused with different concentrations of the plant extract. In one set of experiments, male Wistar rats were treated with the plant extract (1000 mg/kg/day) for 5 weeks for the evaluation of cardiac function before and after ischemia. At the end of the experiments, hearts were freeze-clamped and kept for PKB / Akt determination. In another set of experiments, we determined the effect of O. africana extract (1000 mg/kg/day) or captopril (50 mg/kg/day) on infarct size. Rats fed jelly served as controls for captopril. In a subset of experiments, hearts were frozen immediately after treatment with O. africana extract (1000 mg/kg/day) or captopril (50mg/kg/day) and PKB were determined.Perfusion with the plant extract significantly decreased coronary flow (p<0.05). The heart function was decreased as evidenced by observed decreases in the force of contraction and heart rate, although these were not measured. Chronic treatment with the crude aqueous plant extract had no effect on cardiac function before ischemia, functional recovery (% left ventricular developed pressure and % rate pressure product) and PKB /Akt phosphorylation (p>0.05). Both the aqueous extract of O. africana leaves and captopril had no effect on infarct size compared to the control group (p>0.05). Captopril,however, improved the recovery of the left ventricular developed pressure. Non-perfused hearts isolated from rats treated with O. africana extract and captopril did not show any response to both captopril and the O. africana extract treatment as measured by PKB /Akt phosphorylation. The results of the present study suggest that the crude aqueous extract of O. africana is not cardioprotective against ischemia-reperfusion injury in this system of the isolated perfused rat heart.

Ischemia and reperfusion are natural steps during kidney transplantation, and IRI is considered one of the most important nonspecific factors affecting allograft dysfunction. Transplanted organs experience several episodes of ischemia, in which cold ischemia occurs during allograft storage in preservation solutions. Even though cold ischemia has been studied extensively, all of the studies have been carried out in vitro and ex vivo models. There is no in vivo model available to examine renal IRI induced solely by cold ischemia. In the present study, we developed an in vivo mouse model to study renal IRI induced exclusively by cold ischemia through clamping the renal pedicle for 1 to 5 hours. During the ischemic phase, blood was flushed from the kidney with cold saline through a small opening on the renal vein. The kidney was kept cold in a kidney cup with circulating cooled saline, while the body temperature was maintained at 37℃ during the experiment. The level of kidney injury was evaluated by plasma creatinine, KIM-1, NAGL, GFR, and histology. Plasma creatinine was significantly increased from 0.15±0.04 mg/dl in the sham group to 1.14±0.21 and 2.65±0.14 mg/dl in 4 and 5-hours ischemia groups at 24 hours after cold IRI. The plasma creatinine in mice with ischemic time <3 hours demonstrated no significant increase compared with sham mice. Changes in KIM-1, NAGL, GFR and histology were similar to plasma creatinine. 65 In summary, we developed and characterized a novel in vivo IRI-induced AKI mouse model exclusively produced by cold ischemia.

The miR-17- 92 cluster is necessary for cell proliferation and development of the cardiovascular system. Deletion of this cluster leads to death in neonatal mice. The role of this cluster still needs to be defined following ischemia and reperfusion. Methods and Results: Adult male mice were injected with Tamoxifen- was to induce inducible cardiac-specific miR-17- 92-deficient (miR-17- 92-def: MCM:TG:miR-17- 92 flox/flox ) and wild type (WT: MCM:NTG:miR-17-92 flox/flox ) mice were subjected to 30 minutes of myocardial ischemia via left anterior descending coronary artery ligation followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. Post I/R survival (48%) and ejection fraction were reduced, while myocardial infarct size enlarged in miR-17- 92-deficient mice as compared to WT mice (survival: 71%). Necrosis (trypan blue staining) and apoptosis (TUNEL assay) both were higher in adult cardiomyocytes isolated from miR-17- 92-deficient mice as compared to WT mice subjected to simulated ischemia/reoxygenation with a concomitant reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential (JC1 staining). The electron transport chain was compromised through dysregulation of glutamate+malate as complex I substrate and malate dehydrogenase in the hearts of miR-17- 92-deficient mice compared to WT. After 4 hours of reperfusion, PTEN expression, a downstream target of miR-20A, increased, while phosphorylation of AKT reduced in the hearts of miR-17- 92-deficient mice in comparison to WT. The induced knockdown of cardiac miR-17- 92 increases myocardial I/R injury by ceasing suppression of PTEN, leading to decreased concentrations of AKT and mitochondrial dysfunction. These results suggest that innovative therapeutic strategies can focus on genetic upregulation of miR-17- 92 in patients with coronary artery disease.

Ischemic injury in the heart is followed by an increase in SNS activity and the higher this activity, the poorer patient outcomes. An index of SNS activity in models of ischemia can be achieved by measuring NE, β-AR, and perhaps indirectly PDE4 to give an intracellular aspect on SNS signaling. A 20 minute ischemia-reperfusion was induced in a rat model with physiological measurements at 2-5 weeks post IR. At 3 weeks post IR, rats displayed increased PDE4 expression, decreased β 1-AR expression, increased plasma NE, decreased tissue NE storage, increased Doppler E/A ratio and unchanged LV ejection fraction. PET analysis with FDG revealed no infarct at 2 weeks, while analysis with [13N]NH3 displayed no resting flow defect but revealed trends in flow reserve impairment as early as 2.5 weeks with recovery at 5 weeks post-surgery. Applications of this model could be non-invasive imaging of PDE4 with (R)-[11C]Rolipram PET at early time points for development towards prognostic and therapy guidance in humans.