Background: The deposition of monomeric C-reactive protein (mCRP) in the myocardium aggravates ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) and myocardial infarction. Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is known to protect the myocardium against IRI.
Methods: We evaluated the effects of IPC on myocardium upon which mCRP had been deposited due to IRI in a rat model. Myocardial IRI was induced via ligation of the coronary artery. Direct IPC was applied prior to IRI using multiple short direct occlusions of the coronary artery. CRP was infused intravenously after IRI. The study included sham (n=3), IRI-only (n=5), IRI+CRP (n=9), and IPC+IRI+CRP (n=6) groups. The infarcted area and the area at risk were assessed using Evans blue and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium staining. Additionally, mCRP immunostaining and interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were performed.
Results: In the IRI+CRP group, the infarcted area and the area of mCRP deposition were greater, and the level of IL-6 mRNA expression was higher, than in the IRI-only group. However, in the IPC+IRI+CRP group relative to the IRI+CRP group, the relative areas of infarction (20% vs. 34%, respectively; p=0.079) and mCRP myocardial deposition (21% vs. 44%, respectively; p=0.026) were lower and IL-6 mRNA expression was higher (fold change: 407 vs. 326, respectively; p=0.376), although the difference in IL-6 mRNA expression was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: IPC was associated with significantly decreased deposition of mCRP and with increased expression of IL-6 in myocardium damaged by IRI. The net cardioprotective effect of decreased mCRP deposition and increased IL-6 levels should be clarified in a further study.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; Ischemic preconditioning; Myocardial infarction; Reperfusion injury.