RELEASE OF 4-HYDROXYNONENAL, AN ALDEHYDIC MEDIATOR OF INFLAMMATION, DURING POSTISCHEMIC REPERFUSION OF THE MYOCARDIUM

For the first time it was demonstrated that 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) is formed by the myocardium. 1 to 2pmol HNE/min/mg protein were released from isolated perfused hearts of 18-month-old WKY rats during a normox ic period of perfusion. During the first minutes of reperfusion follow ing 30 min of ischaemia, the mean value of HNE release increased in co mparison to preischaemic HNE release (preischaemic control). However, the alterations were significant only in the second minute of reperfus ion. HNE liberation significantly intensified during the early reperfu sion period of hearts of 18-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR, with cardiac hypertrophy and congestive heart failure) in comari son with the preischaemic control period. Furthermore, HNE liberation from those hearts was higher than from hearts of normotensive control animals (WKY rats). Maximum quantities were observed 2 min after ischa emia, with 6 to 10pmol HNE/min/mg protein. The results suggest that th e formation of chemotactic products of radical-induced lipid peroxidat ion, such as HNE, is markedly increased in reperfused hypertrophic and failing myocardium, and emphasize the role of HNE as a possible chemo tactic agent during postischaemic reoxygenation.