Myocardium under Normoxic and Ischemic Conditions

The effect of ischemia on the myocardial content of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), triacylglycerol, cholesteryl esters, and phospholipids assayed with gas-liquid chromatography was studied in an open-chest dog preparation. Ischemia was induced by partial occlusion of the left interventricular coronary artery during 120 minutes (n=20). Tissue content of the lipid classes was assessed in biopsies taken from ischemic and normoxic areas of the left ventricular free wall. Local venous blood from the concomitant vein of the left interventricular coronary artery was collected to determine myocardial extraction of lipids. In eight other dogs, no ischemia was induced (control group). Under normoxic conditions, NEFA appeared to be present in trace amounts: about 25 nmol/ g wet weight of tissue, representing less than 0.1% of total myocardial fatty acids. During ischemia, NEFA increased in the affected area. This accumulation was most pronounced in the least perfused layer: the subendocardium (up to 172 nmol/g). Blood flow, estimated with radioactively labeled microspheres fell from 0.55 to 0.06 ml/min per g in this particular layer. The uptake of NEFA by the ischemic myocardium was decreased, indicating that enhanced lipolysis of endogenous lipids or reduced combustion may be held responsible for the accumulation of NEFA in ischemic tissue. Since arachidonic and linoleic acids showed the highest relative increase, lipolysis of endogenous phospholipids, rich in these fatty acids, seems to be reasonable. Ischemia had no significant effect on the content of triacylglycerol and cholesteryl esters. Phospholipids tended to decrease in the affected subendocardial layers. (Ore Res 50: 538-546, 1982)