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Biomedical subjects

J R Neely

Publications and source records attributed to J R Neely.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Coenzyme A and carnitine distribution in normal and ischemic hearts.

The distribution of coenzyme A and carnitine between the mitochondrial and cytosolic compartments was determined in rat heart ventricular muscle. The CoA and carnitine levels of homogenate, mitochondrial, and postmitochondrial fractions were determined in nonperfused hearts and in hearts that were perfused under control and ischemic conditions. Using the mitochondrial marker enzymes, citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase, the cellular content of mitochondrial protein was determined to be 53 +/- 1.0 (nonperfused), 53.5 +/- 1.5 (control), and 58.1 +/- 2.2 (ischemic) mg/g of wet heart muscle. These values were used to calculate the contribution of the CoA and carnitine located in the mitochondrial compartment to the total cellular levels of CoA and carnitine. Under both control and ischemic conditions, approximately 95% of the cellular CoA was mitochondrial. The percentage of the total cellular carnitine associated with the mitochondria increased from 8 to 9% in nonperfused and control hearts to 25% during ischemia, indicating that a net transfer of carnitine occurred from the cytosol to the mitochondrial matrix.

Animals

Control of fatty acid metabolism in ischemic and hypoxic hearts.

The effects of whole heart ischemia on fatty acid metabolism were studied in the isolated, perfused rat heart. A reduction in coronary flow and oxygen consumption resulted in lower rates of palmitate uptake and oxidation to CO2. This decrease in metabolic rate was associated with increased tissue levels of long chain acyl coenzyme A and long chain acylcarnitine. Cellular levels of acetyl-CoA, acetylcarnitine, free CoA, and free carnitine decreased. These changes in CoA and its acyl derivatives indicate that beta oxidation became the limiting step in fatty acid metabolism. The rate of beta oxidation was probably limited by high levels of NADH and FADH2 secondary to a reduced supply of oxygen. Tissue levels of neutral lipids showed a slight increase durning ischemia, but incorporation of [U-14C]palmitate into lipid was not altered significantly. Although both substrates for lipid synthesis were present in higher concentrations during ischemia, compartmentalization of long chain acyl-CoA in the mitochondrial matrix and alpha-glycerol phosphate in the cytosol may have accounted for the relatively low rate of lipid synthesis.

Acetyl Coenzyme A

Insulin therapy for depressed myocardial contractility after prolonged ischemia.

Insulin was administered to two patients whose diminished myocardial contractility made it difficult to terminate cardiopulmonary bypass. In both instances, bypass was successfully terminated shortly after the insulin injection. These clinical observations led to experiments under the controlled conditions provided by the isolated, working rat heart preparation. The recovery of contractility after 30 minutes of severe ischemia was assessed in all 11 control and 11 insulin-treated hearts. Myocardial performance, as judged by the product of heart rate and peak systolic blood pressure, was significantly greater in the insulin-treated hearts. These clinical observations and experimental findings suggest the need for more extensive study of the potential value of insulin in treating depressed contractility after prolonged myocardial ischemia.

Animals

Fatty acid oxidation by isolated perfused working hearts of aged rats.

It has been reported that mitochondria isolated from hearts of old rats have lower respiratory activity than mitochondria from young rats. In order to determine the physiological correlates of these changes, the metabolism of hearts from young and old rats has been compared in a perfused working heart preparation. The oxidation of [14C]palmitate to 14CO2, oxygen consumption, and nucleotide levels were measured under different cardiac workloads. The hearts from old animals performed less cardiac work and utilized less oxygen and palmitate in proportion to tissue mass, but the ratio of oxygen consumed to pressure developed was unaltered. There was a small but significant decrease in cardiac efficiency expressed as the ratio between the rate of oxygen consumed and ventricular pressure development. Tissue levels of total carnitine and long-chain acylcarnitine derivatives were greatly reduced in the older heart without significant change in free CoA, acetyl-CoA, or long-chain acyl-CoA. The adenine nucleotide levels were not significantly different in the two groups. The results appear consistent with the in vitro studies on isolated mitochondria.

Acetyl Coenzyme A

Integration of lipid utilization with Krebs cycle activity in muscle.

This essay illustrates the ways in which beta-oxidation and the citric acid cycle interact. These included: 1) competition for CoASH, 2) competition for NAD+, and 3) competition for FADH2 oxidation. By means of the above, the cell is able to maintain a precise coordination between the activation of fatty acids in the cytosol, beta-oxidation in the mitochondria, and the complete oxidation of acetyl-CoA to CO2 via the citric acid cycle throughout a wide range of energy demands and oxygen availability.

Animals

Effects of excess glucose and insulin on glycolytic metabolism during experimental myocardial ischemia.

The selective metabolic effects of glucose and insulin were tested in an intact working swine heart preparation. Supplements of glucose (26.6 millimolar [mM] and insulin (0.025 units/ml) were provided to 18 hearts, 9 control hearts (coronary flow 151 ml/min) and 9 hearts rendered globally ischemic (coronary flow reduced from 167 to 85 ml/min). These hearts were compared with 14 additional hearts (6 control and 8 ischemic) given no supplements (glucose 8.6 mM, no excess insulin). In hearts without supplements, ischemic significantly decreased mechanical performance, myocardial oxygen consumption, fatty acid oxidation and tissue high energy phosphate stores. Glucose consumption was reduced from 133 micromoles (mumol)/hr per g (before ischemia) to 58 mumol/hr per g (P less than 0.05), presumably from inhibition at glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Data for control hearts with excess glucose and insulin were similar to data in control hearts without supplements except that glucose consumption and glycolytic flux were increased. Ischemia in treated hearts, as compared with untreated ischemic hearts, effected similar significant decreases in myocardial oxygen consumption, fatty acid oxidation and high energy phosphate stores and resulted in greater reductions in mechanical performance and in 10 minutes' less average survival time. Glucose consumption was reduced from 483 (before ischemia) to 242 mumol/hr per g (P less than 0.005) and inhibition at glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was again noted. Thus, excess carbohydrate and insulin hormone, when infused directly into the ischemic myocardium, did not provide an efficacious increase in either glycolytic flux or energy production. These findings suggest that an alternative explanation for the reported efficacy of glucose-insulin-potassium infusions must be sought.

Animals

Effects of mechanical activity and hormones on myocardial glucose and fatty acid utilization.

The effects of increased cardiac work on glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidation of fatty acids were studied in isolated rat hearts. Glycolysis was stimulated by increased work in heart perfused with glucose alone or with glucose, high levels of insulin, and low levels of palmitate. With glucose alone, stimulation was associated with a rapid decrease in phosphate potential and rapid activation of phosphofructokinase, but an apparently slower activation of glucose transport. With glucose, insulin, and palmitate present, stimulation of glucose utilization was rapid and correlated with activation of phosphofructokinase.

Animals

Effect of coronary blood flow on glycolytic flux and intracellular pH in isolated rat hearts.

The rate of coronary blood flow was varied in isolated working rat heart preparations to determine its influence on the rate of glocose utilization, tissue high-energy phosphates, and intracellular pH. A 60% reduction in coronary blood flow resulted in a 30% reduction in oxygen consumption, an accelerated rate of glusoe utilization, lower tissue levels of high-energy phosphate, and higher tissue levels of lactate and H+. Ventricular performance deteriorated as reflected by a decrease in heart rate and peak systolic pressure. Further reductions in coronary blood flow resulted in inhibition of glycolysis, a greater decrease in tissue levels of high-energy phosphates, and higher tissue levels of both lactate and H+. These changes in glycolytic flux, tissue metabolites, and ventricular performance were proportional to the degree of restriction in coronary blood flow. The importance of coronary blood flow and washout of the interstitial space in the maintenance of accelerated glycolytic flux in oxygen-deficient hearts is emphasized. It is concluded that acceleration of ATP production from glycolysis can occur only in the marginally ischemic tissue in the peripheral area of tissue supplied by an occluded artery. The central area of tissue which receives a low rate of coronary blood flow will have a reduced rate of ATP production due to both a lack of oxygen and an inhibition of glycolysis.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Mechanisms of glycolytic inhibition in ischemic rat hearts.

The mechanisms of glycolytic inhibition in ischemic myocardium were investigated in the isolated, perfused rat heart. Glycolysis was inhibited at the level of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The major factors that accounted for the glycolytic inhibition in the ischemic heart compared with the anoxic heart appeared to be higher tissue levels of lactate and H+ in the ischemic tissue. Increased extracellular pH inhibited glycolysis in anoxic and hypoxic hearts much more readily than it did in aerobic hearts. However, maintenance of both extracellular and intracellular pH caused only a modest acceleration of glycolysis in ischemic hearts. Accumulation of tissue lactate and inhibition of glycolysis were directly proportional to the reduction in coronary bloow flow in both anoxic and ischemic hearts. At intracellular lactate concentrations between 15 and 20 mM, glycolysis was inhibited under both conditions. Addition of either 10, 20, or 40 mM lactate to the perfusate inhibited glycolysis in aerobic, anoxic, and ischemic hearts. The effect of lactate did not appear to be mediated through changes in intracellular pH. It is concluded that accumulation of lactate represents a major factor in the inhibition of glycolysis that develops in ischemic hearts.

Animals