EVALUATION OF ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY BY MALONDIALDEHYDE, GLUTATHIONE AND GAMMA-GLUTAMYL-TRANSPEPTIDASE - LACK OF SPECIFIC LOCAL-EFFECTS IN DIVERSE PARTS OF THE DOG HEART FOLLOWING ACUTE CORONARY-OCCLUSION

Alterations in the levels of glutathione, glutathione disulfide, malon dialdehyde, and the activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in nonis chemic and ischemic parts of the left ventricle and in the right ventr icle were studied in canine hearts after occlusion of the left anterio r descending coronary artery for 60 minutes and subsequent reperfusion for 20 minutes. Ischemia caused no significant change in malondialdeh yde concentration and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in ischem ic or nonischemic parts of the left ventricle, but it increased the ac tivity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in the continuously perfused r ight ventricle. Reperfusion of the ischemic areas of the left ventricl e was accompanied by accumulation of malondialdehyde and an increase i n gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity, not only in the reperfused a nd adjacent areas of the left ventricle, but also in the continuously perfused right ventricle. An increase in the level of glutathione disu lfide and decrease in glutathione occurred in all parts of the myocard ium during coronary occlusion; these changes were maintained in reperf usion. The findings indicate that the effects of acute occlusion and r eperfusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery on myocardi al concentrations of glutathione, glutathione disulfide and malondiald ehyde or gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity are not confined to th e local area.