Background: So far, no study has explored the effects of sevoflurane, propofol, and Intralipid on metabolic flux rates of fatty acid oxidation (FOX) and glucose oxidation (GOX) in hearts exposed to ischaemia-reperfusion.
Methods: Isolated paced working rat hearts were exposed to 20 min of ischaemia and 30 min of reperfusion. Peri-ischaemic sevoflurane (2 vol%) and propofol (100 µM) in the formulation of 1% Diprivan(®) were assessed for their effects on oxidative energy metabolism and intracellular diastolic and systolic Ca(2+) concentrations. Substrate flux was measured using [(3)H]palmitate and [(14)C]glucose and [Ca(2+)] using indo-1AM. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of the sarcolemmal glucose transporter GLUT4 in lipid rafts. Biochemical analyses of nucleotides, ceramides, and 32 acylcarnitines were also performed.
Results: Sevoflurane, but not propofol, improved the recovery of left ventricular work (P=0.008) and myocardial efficiency (P=0.008) compared with untreated ischaemic hearts. This functional improvement was accompanied by reduced increases in post-ischaemic diastolic and systolic intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations (P=0.008). Sevoflurane, but not propofol, increased GOX (P=0.009) and decreased FOX (P=0.019) in hearts exposed to ischaemia-reperfusion. GLUT4 expression was markedly increased in lipid rafts of sevoflurane-treated hearts (P=0.016). Increased GOX closely correlated with reduced Ca(2+) overload. Intralipid alone decreased energy charge and increased long-chain and hydroxyacylcarnitine tissue levels, whereas sevoflurane decreased toxic ceramide formation.
Conclusions: Enhanced glucose uptake via GLUT4 fuels recovery from Ca(2+) overload after ischaemia-reperfusion in sevoflurane- but not propofol-treated hearts. The use of a high propofol concentration (100 µM) did not result in similar protection.