The relationship between cardiac function and metabolism in acute adriamycin-treated perfused rat hearts studied by 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopy.

Acute adriamycin cardiotoxicity was studied in the isolated, perfused rat heart by 31P and 13C NMR spectroscopy at flow rates of 15 and 5 ml/min. Treated hearts received a total dose of 13.5 mg of adriamycin. 31P NMR spectra were collected at the beginning and end of each experiment, and cardiac function was recorded throughout. Hearts were perfused with [1-13C]glucose, and 13C NMR spectra were recorded in the presence and absence of the drug. At normal flow (15 ml/min), adriamycin caused a decline in cardiac function which was reversible when the drug was removed. There were no changes in high energy phosphate levels. The labeling of glutamate was unchanged in the presence of adriamycin; however, there was a slight increase in the labeling of lactate and alanine. At reduced flow (5 ml/min), control hearts exhibited a small decrease in ATP and phosphocreatine levels, and cardiac function was depressed. These changes were reversible when normal flow was restored. Nevertheless, adriamycin treatment at low flow caused an irreversible decline in function and in hydrolysis of ATP and phosphocreatine. At reduced flow, the control and drug-treated hearts showed similar labeling of the glutamate pool; however, there was significantly greater labeling of lactate and alanine during adriamycin treatment. These results indicate that adriamycin is more toxic under reduced flow conditions. Impairment of cardiac function by adriamycin without changes in glutamate labeling suggests that this drug alters the relationship between cardiac function and energy production.