Ozone protects rat heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury: A role for oxidative preconditioning in attenuating mitochondrial injury.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of cardiac dysfunction during cardiovascular surgery, heart transplantation and cardiopulmonary bypass procedures. The purpose of the present study was to explore, firstly, whether ozone induces oxidative preconditioning by activation of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and, secondly, whether ozone oxidative preconditioning (OzoneOP) can protect the heart against IRI by attenuating mitochondrial damage. Rats were subjected to 30min of cardiac ischemia followed by 2h of reperfusion, with or without prior OzoneOP (100μg/kg/day) for 5 days. Antioxidant capacity, myocardial apoptosis and mitochondrial damage were evaluated and compared at the end of reperfusion. OzoneOP was found to increase antioxidant capacity and to protect the myocardium against IRI by attenuating mitochondrial damage and myocardial apoptosis. The study suggests a potential role for OzoneOP in protecting the heart against IRI during cardiovascular surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass procedures or transplantation.