Precursor trapping: a "neonatal" mechanism of myocardial protection.

During induced ischemia for cardiac surgery, 5'-nucleotidase (5NT) catalyzes nucleotide breakdown by dephosphorylating AMP and IMP to diffusible precursors--adenosine and inosine. These precursors become unavailable upon reperfusion washout limiting nucleotide resynthesis, resulting in poor postischemic function. Neonatal hearts, which are more resistant to ischemia than adults, have low 5NT activity, trapping available precursors. Adult rabbit hearts given cardioplegia with a 5NT inhibitor, pentoxifylline, demonstrated improved postischemic contractility, compliance, and myocardial oxygen consumption after 120 min of 34 degrees C ischemia. To determine if this improved function was a result of enhanced nucleotide precursor availability during or following ischemia, total nondiffusible nucleotides, ATP, ADP, AMP, and IMP, and total diffusible nucleotides, adenosine, inosine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine, were measured by HPLC at end ischemia, 1 and 15 min after reperfusion. While all preischemic values were equivalent, pentoxifylline-treated hearts had significantly greater total non-diffusible nucleotides at end ischemia, 1 and 15 min after reperfusion. Additionally, pentoxifylline-treated hearts had significantly greater total diffusible nucleosides at end ischemia and 1 min after reperfusion, but were equal to control at 15 min after reperfusion. Furthermore, coronary sinus effluent had a significantly higher release of total diffusible nucleosides in control vs pentoxifylline-treated hearts. The data indicate that precursor trapping with pentoxifylline prevented nucleotide catabolism to diffusible precursors and enhanced postischemic nucleotide availability. We postulate the increased precursor availability augmented myocardial nucleotide resynthesis and correlated with the improved functional recovery noted. This strategy may have application in adult cardiac surgery.