Sarcolemmal chloride channels and associated cell volume regulatory pathways have been shown to be important in local ischemic preconditioning (IPC) induced protection against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Similarities between intracellular pathways in remote (rIPC) and classic IPC suggest that these mechanisms may also play an important role in rIPC. rIPC protected cultured rabbit ventricular cardiomyocytes against necrosis caused by 75 minutes simulated ischemia followed by 60 minutes simulated reperfusion. The protective effect was abolished by chloride channel blockade using 50 μM indanyloxyacetic acid 94 (IAA-94). rIPC also reduced peak cardiomyocyte swelling during exposure to 200 mOsm hypo-osmotic buffer. The reduction in peak swelling was also abolished by IAA-94. These results suggest that the protective effect of rIPC is achieved, at least in part, by enhancing cell volume regulation and that this effect is dependent on the availability of chloride channels in a similar fashion to local IPC.

Sarcolemmal chloride channels and associated cell volume regulatory pathways have been shown to be important in local ischemic preconditioning (IPC) induced protection against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Similarities between intracellular pathways in remote (rIPC) and classic IPC suggest that these mechanisms may also play an important role in rIPC. rIPC protected cultured rabbit ventricular cardiomyocytes against necrosis caused by 75 minutes simulated ischemia followed by 60 minutes simulated reperfusion. The protective effect was abolished by chloride channel blockade using 50 μM indanyloxyacetic acid 94 (IAA-94). rIPC also reduced peak cardiomyocyte swelling during exposure to 200 mOsm hypo-osmotic buffer. The reduction in peak swelling was also abolished by IAA-94. These results suggest that the protective effect of rIPC is achieved, at least in part, by enhancing cell volume regulation and that this effect is dependent on the availability of chloride channels in a similar fashion to local IPC.