Investigation of the short-time autolysis of rat hearts by means of SDS. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy.

The short-time autolysis of hearts was regarded as a model of ischaemic heart failure. Therefore, isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30--120 min autolysis in a Locke solution at 37 degrees C. Electron microscopic examinations and myofibrillar preparations were made from the autolysed heart ventricles. The myofibrillar proteins were resolved by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After 30 min autolysis the amount of a protein of 192,000 daltons greatly increased. At the same time on the electron micrographs the focal destruction of filament destruction on the A filament area and the mitochondrial structure altered too. After 60 min autolysis another protein of 36,400 daltons appeared. On the electron micrographs the focal desintegration of Z membranes and the focal destruction of I filaments can be observed. After 120 min autolysis further proteolytic products could not be detected by gel electrophoresis but on the electron micrographs the destruction of Z membranes and I filaments became more pronounced.