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urbil, andDepartments of Medicine, Biochemistry, Radiology, and the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota Health Sciences Center, Minneapolis 55455; and Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417
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ABSTRACT |
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This study tested
the hypothesis that the loss of myocardial high-energy phosphates
(HEP), which occurs during high cardiac work states [J. Zhang, D. J. Duncker, Y. Xu, Y. Zhang, G. Path, H. Merkle, K. Hendrich, A. H. L. From, R. Bache, and K. U
urbil. Am. J. Physiol. 268: (Heart Circ.
Physiol. 37): H1891-H1905, 1995], is not the
result of insufficient intracellular
O2 availability. To evaluate the
state of myocardial oxygenation, the proximal histidine signal of
deoxymyoglobin (Mb-
) was determined with 1H nuclear magnetic resonance
spectroscopy (MRS), whereas HEP were examined with
31P MRS. Normal dogs
(n = 11) were studied under basal
conditions and during combined infusion of dobutamine and dopamine (20 µg · kg
1 · min
1
iv each), which increased rate-pressure products to >50,000
mmHg · beats · min
1.
Creatine phosphate (CP) was expressed as CP/ATP, and myocardial myoglobin desaturation was normalized to the Mb-
resonance present during total coronary artery occlusion. This Mb-
resonance appeared at 71 parts per million downfield from the water resonance. CP/ATP decreased from 2.22 ± 0.12 during the basal state to 1.83 ± 0.09 during the high work state (P < 0.01), whereas
Pi/CP increased from 0 to 0.21 ± 0.04 (P < 0.01). Despite these HEP changes, Mb-
remained undetectable. In
contrast, when a coronary stenosis was applied to produce a similar
decrease in CP/ATP, Mb-
reached 0.38 ± 0.10 of the value present
during total coronary occlusion. These data demonstrate that Mb-
is
readily detected in vivo during limitation of coronary blood flow
sufficient to cause a decrease of myocardial CP/ATP. However, similar
HEP changes that occur at high work states in the absence of coronary
occlusion are not associated with a detectable Mb-
resonance. The
findings support the hypothesis that the myocardial HEP changes
observed at high work states are not due to inadequate
O2 availability to the
mitochondria and emphasize the limitations of interpreting HEP
alterations in the absence of knowing the level of myocyte oxygenation.
deoxymyoglobin; high-energy phosphates; intense catecholamine stimulation; myocardium
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INTRODUCTION |
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IN THE NORMAL CANINE HEART, high-energy phosphate (HEP)
compound levels do not change over moderate increases of work state [rate-pressure products (RPP) up to 35,000 mmHg · beats · min
1]
produced by pacing or catecholamine infusion (2, 20, 35). In contrast,
at higher cardiac workloads, myocardial creatine phosphate (CP) and to
a lesser extent ATP levels fall, resulting in elevated
Pi and ADP levels (45). In the
latter study, it was also shown that during the high work state,
pharmacological hyperperfusion of the coronary vasculature was
accompanied by a significant increase in myocardial
O2 consumption rate
(M
O2). In contrast, the
alterations in HEP and Pi contents
during very high cardiac work states persisted during the period of
hyperperfusion (45). These data suggested that at the high work states
attained, O2 delivery by blood
flow might be limiting the ATP synthetic process and consequently the
overall rate of ATP turnover (45). However, in the heart, capillary
density is very high (17, 29), and
M
O2 values observed in the
exercising dog are considerably higher than those observed during
catecholamine infusion in our earlier report (18, 45). The latter
observations strongly suggest that
O2 delivery should not be limiting
to myocardial ATP synthesis at the high work states achieved in our
experimental model and lead us to hypothesize that inadequate cellular
oxygenation was not the basis of the high work state-associated
reductions of HEP (45). Evaluation of this hypothesis requires
concurrent assessment of HEP and
Pi levels and intracellular oxygenation.
Intracellular O2 tension can be
computed from myoglobin desaturation because the characteristics of the
myoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve are known (12, 23, 24, 26, 37).
Spectrophotometric studies have suggested that myoglobin saturation in
flash-frozen myocardial sections is homogeneous within a myocyte (12);
consequently, average myocardial myoglobin saturation should reflect
perimitochondrial PO2. The degree of
O2 desaturation of myoglobin in
solution can be determined with 1H
magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) using the contact-shifted N-
proton signal of proximal histidine (Mb-
peak) in the paramagnetic deoxymyoglobin molecule. This signal resonates between ~76 and ~80
ppm relative to 2,2-dimethyl-2-silapentane-5-sulfonic acid or between
~71 and ~75 ppm relative to
H2O (6, 23); the protons from
oxymyoglobin do not resonate in this chemical shift range. The
detection of this Mb-
proton resonance with
1H MRS has been utilized to assess
the degree of myoglobin O2
desaturation in the isolated rat hearts perfused with hemoglobin-free
perfusate (23, 24, 26). We have recently adapted this technique for use
in the in vivo canine heart (6). In the present study, standard
31P MRS techniques were employed
to measure HEP and Pi levels,
whereas 1H MRS measurements of
Mb-
were used to determine intracellular PO2 during basal and high work state
conditions. To be certain that the system was capable of detecting
Mb-
, data were also obtained during partial and total coronary
artery occlusion when the O2
supply was undeniably insufficient. The results demonstrate that, at
the high work state levels evaluated,
O2 availability should not limit
the rate of the ATP synthesis. These results have previously been
reported in abstract form (44).
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METHODS |
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All experimental procedures were performed in accordance with the animal use guidelines of the University of Minnesota, and the experimental protocol was approved by the University of Minnesota Research Animal Resources Committee. The investigation conformed to the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH publication No. 85-23, Revised 1985).
Surgical preparation. Eleven adult
mongrel dogs weighing 18-25 kg were anesthetized with
pentobarbital sodium (30 mg/kg followed by 4 mg · kg
1 · h
1
iv). The animals were intubated and ventilated with a respirator using
room air supplemented with O2. A
heparin-filled polyvinyl chloride catheter (3.0 mm OD) was inserted
into the left femoral artery and advanced into the ascending aorta. A
left thoracotomy was performed through the fourth intercostal space.
The pericardium was opened and the heart suspended in a pericardial
cradle. Heparin-filled catheters were inserted into the left ventricle
through the apical dimple and into the left atrium through the atrial
appendage and secured with purse-string sutures. A 1.5- to 2.0-cm
segment of the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD)
was dissected free, and a hydraulic occluder constructed of polyvinyl chloride tubing (2.7 mm OD) was placed around the artery proximal to
the first major arterial branch. A silicone elastomer catheter (0.75 mm
ID) was placed into the LAD distal to the occluder (13). A 28-mm
diameter NMR surface coil was sutured onto the epicardium of the
myocardial region perfused by the LAD. The pericardial cradle was then
released and the heart allowed to assume its normal position. The
surface coil leads were connected to a balanced, tuned circuit, and the
animals were placed into the magnet (36).
31P NMR spectroscopic technique. Measurements were performed in a 40-cm bore, 4.7-T magnet interfaced with a SISCO (Spectroscopy Imaging Systems, Fremont, CA) computer console. The left ventricular pressure (LV) signal was used to gate NMR data acquisition to the cardiac cycle, whereas respiratory gating was achieved by triggering the ventilator to the cardiac cycle between data acquisitions. 31P and 1H NMR frequencies were 81 and 200.1 MHz, respectively. Spectra were recorded in late diastole with a pulse repetition time of 67 s. This repetition time allowed full relaxation for ATP and Pi resonances and ~90% relaxation of the CP resonance. CP resonance intensities were corrected for this minor saturation; the correction factor was determined for each heart from two spectra recorded consecutively without transmural differentiation, one with a 15-s repetition time to allow full relaxation and the other with the 67-s repetition time used during the study.
Radio frequency transmission and signal detection were performed with a 28-mm-diameter surface coil dually tuned for both 1H and 31P measurements. The coil was cemented to a sheet of silicone rubber 0.7 mm in thickness and ~50% larger in diameter than the coil itself. A capillary containing 15 µl of 3 M phosphonoacetic acid was placed at the coil center to serve as a reference. The proton signal from water was used to homogenize the magnetic field and to adjust the position of the animal in the magnet so that the coil was at or near the magnet and gradient isocenters. The latter task was accomplished using a spin-echo experiment and a readout gradient. The information gathered in this step was also utilized to determine the spatial coordinates for spectroscopic localization. Whole wall spectra were obtained with the image-selected in vivo spectroscopy (ISIS) (16, 36, 45) that defined a column 2.3 × 2.3 cm2 perpendicular to the heart wall. 31P signal excitation was achieved with a 90°, adiabatic, B1-insensitive rotation pulse-4 (BIR-4) (11). All chemical shifts were measured relative to the CP peak that was assigned a chemical shift of 2.55 ppm relative to 85% phosphonoacetic acid at 0 ppm. Resonance intensities were quantified using integration routines provided by the SISCO software. The ATP
resonance was used for ATP
determination. Because data were acquired with the transmitter frequency positioned between the ATP
and CP resonance, off-resonance effects on these peaks were virtually nonexistent. The numerical values
for CP and ATP in each voxel were expressed as ratios of CP/ATP.
Pi levels were measured as changes
from baseline values (
Pi),
using integrals obtained in the region covering the
Pi resonance.
Pi data are presented as
Pi/CP. ATP and CP values (normalized to the control resonance areas) are also shown. Because only whole wall myoglobin data are available, all HEP data reported are
also whole wall data.
1H NMR spectroscopic technique.
We have recently reported the 1H
NMR methods in detail elsewhere (6). In brief, radiofrequency
transmission and signal detection were performed with the dually tuned
28-mm-diameter surface coil. A single-pulse collection sequence with a
frequency-selective, 1-ms Gaussian excitation pulse was used to
selectively excite the Mb-
resonance. This provided sufficient water
suppression due to the large chemical shift difference between water
and Mb-
(>14 kHz), and other techniques such as chemical
shift-selective pulse and inversion recovery pulse did not
significantly improve water suppression. The NMR signal
was optimized by adjusting the radiofrequency pulse power using the
water signal as a reference. A short repetition time (TR = 25 ms) was
used due to the short spin-lattice relaxation (T1) of Mb-
. Each
spectrum was acquired in 5 min (10,000 free induction
decays). Although the short T1 of Mb-
and fast
acquisition prevent gating to the cardiac cycle, the signal loss due to
motion is negligible due to the inherently broad line width of Mb-
peak. Resonance intensities were quantified using integration routines
provided by the SISCO software.
. However, Chen et al. (6)
demonstrated that using relatively long pulses for signal excitation,
the much broader line width and shorter spin-spin relaxation (T2)
Mb-
resonance is fully suppressed, and Mb-
is selectively
detected; a similar strategy based on spin-echo sequences has also been
used to selectively detect Mb-
in the presence of hemoglobin in ex
vivo preparations (42). In our earlier in vivo studies, we observed
that under basal work state conditions myoglobin was fully oxygenated
within the detection limits but that when coronary blood flow was
reduced a Mb-
resonance appeared and was linearly related to the
decrease of blood flow (6). These preliminary studies indicated that
1H MRS could be employed to
determine myoglobin saturation in an in vivo model.
To estimate the myoglobin P50
value (PO2 at which myoglobin is
half-saturated with O2), the
expression [P50 = e(0.098T
2.748), where T is temperature] was employed as
recently reported by Schenkman et al. (37). T was the measured core
temperature (~37°C). This calculation yielded a
P50 value of 2.39 mmHg. Subsequent PO2 estimates were then calculated
from the Hill equation using the aforementioned
P50 value.
Myocardial blood flow measurements.
Myocardial blood flow was measured using 15-µm-diameter
radionuclide-labeled microspheres (45). Microspheres labeled with four
different radioisotopes (51Cr,
85Sr,
95Nb, and
46Sc) were agitated in an
ultrasonic mixer for 10 min before injection. Microsphere suspension
containing 2 × 106
microspheres was injected through the left atrial catheter and flushed
with 10 ml of normal saline. A reference sample of arterial blood was
drawn from the aortic catheter at a rate of 15 ml/min beginning 5 s
before microsphere injection and continuing for 120 s. At the end of
the study the hearts were removed, weighed, and fixed in 10% buffered
Formalin. The region of myocardium beneath the surface coil was removed
and sectioned into three transmural layers from epicardium to
endocardium and then weighed and placed into vials for counting.
Similar myocardial specimens were obtained from the lateral and
posterior LV wall to ensure that the measurements from the region
beneath the surface coil were representative of the entire left
ventricle. Radioactivity in the myocardial and blood reference
specimens was determined using a gamma spectrometer (model 5912, Packard Instrument, Downers Grove, IL) at window settings chosen for
the combination of radioisotopes used during the study. Activity in
each energy window was corrected for background activity and overlap
between isotopes. Knowing the rate of withdrawal of the reference blood
specimen (
r)
and the radioactivity of the reference specimen
(Cr), we used myocardial
radioactivity (Cm) to compute
myocardial blood flow
(
m) as
m =
r × (Cm/Cr). Blood flow was expressed as milligrams per gram of myocardium per minute.
Hemodynamic measurements. Aortic, LV,
and mean LAD coronary pressure distal to the occluder were measured
using Spectromed TNF-R pressure transducers positioned at midchest
level. All data were recorded on an eight-channel Coulbourne R14-28
direct-writing recorder.
Study protocol. Ventilation rate,
volume, and inspired O2 content
were adjusted to maintain physiological values for arterial PO2,
PCO2, and pH. Aortic, LV, and mean
LAD (distal to occluder) pressures were monitored continuously
throughout the study. During each intervention, myocardial blood flow
and hemodynamic measurements were acquired simultaneously with the acquisition of 1H and
31P MRS. After baseline data were
obtained, dobutamine and dopamine were simultaneously infused (each 20 µg · kg
1 · min
1
iv) to produce a high work state. After waiting 10-15 min to achieve a steady state, we repeated all measurements. The catecholamine infusion was then stopped, and all measurements but blood flow were
repeated ~20-25 min later when repeated hemodynamic measurements were similar to those present at baseline. The occluder was then slowly
inflated with a micrometer-driven syringe to reduce distal LAD
pressure, whereas whole wall CP/ATP was monitored by
31P MRS every minute to match the
whole wall CP/ATP present during the previous catecholamine stimulation
period. When the desired reduction of CP/ATP had been achieved, the
poststenotic perfusion pressure was maintained constant while all
measurements were repeated. Finally, the LAD was completely occluded
and all measurements were again repeated.
Data analysis. Hemodynamic data were
measured from the strip-chart recordings. Transmural blood flow
distribution was determined from the microsphere measurements. Data
were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance for repeated
measurements. A value of P < 0.05 was considered significant. When a significant result was found,
individual comparisons were made using the method of Scheffé's.
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RESULTS |
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Hemodynamic data. Hemodynamic
measurements are shown in Table 1. In
response to catecholamine stimulation, the heart rate and LV systolic
pressure increased significantly and the RPP rose to >50,000 mmHg/min
(Table 1). During the postcatecholamine restabilization period,
systemic hemodynamic measurements were not significantly different from
those present at baseline. During LAD stenosis and then complete
occlusion heart rate, mean aortic pressure and LV end-diastolic
pressure (LVEDP) values did not change significantly (relative to
postcatecholamine restabilization period values), although the systolic
and mean aortic pressures trended lower during complete LAD occlusion
and the LVEDP trended higher. The coronary perfusion pressure distal to
occluder was decreased to ~48 mmHg during partial LAD occlusion and
fell to ~16 mmHg during total coronary occlusion.
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Myocardial blood flow. In response to
catecholamine infusion, myocardial blood flow increased to 225% of the
basal level with no change in the transmural distribution of perfusion
(Table 2). Blood flow was not measured
during the postcatecholamine restabilization period. The coronary
stenosis decreased mean myocardial blood flow to 60% of the basal
level, whereas the subendocardial-to-subepicardial blood flow
(Endo/Epi) ratio decreased to 0.54 (Table 2). During total
occlusion mean blood flow in the LAD region (representing collateral
flow) was ~5% of basal flow (Table 2).
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Myocardial oxygenation and HEP levels.
MRS measurements of myocardial HEP,
Pi/CP and oxygenation levels
are summarized in Table 3. Figure
1 illustrates sequential sets of
31P MRS data (Fig. 1,
A-D)
examining myocardial HEP and Pi
levels, and 1H MRS data (Fig. 1,
E-H)
of myocardial Mb-
levels obtained from one experiment. The
interleaved 31P and
1H MRS were obtained during each
experimental condition. Data were obtained during
1) baseline conditions
(A and
E),
2) catecholamine infusion
(B and
F),
3) coronary stenosis
(C and
G), and finally 4) LAD occlusion
(D and
H). Under basal conditions no Mb-
resonance was detected (Table 3 and Fig. 1). In response to
catecholamine stimulation myocardial CP-to-ATP ratios fell and
Pi-to-CP ratios increased,
whereas normalized CP and ATP levels were significantly reduced (Fig.
1B and Table 3). However, Mb-
remained undetectable (Table 3 and Fig.
1F). After cessation of the
catecholamine infusion, although most HEP values were not significantly
different from control values, ATP levels did not recover. Once again,
no Mb-
resonance was visible.
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In the presence of a partial coronary artery stenosis, HEP and
Pi changes similar to those noted
at high workloads were observed (Table 3 and Fig. 1,
B and
C). However, in contrast to the high workload state, during coronary artery stenosis a Mb-
resonance appeared (Table 3 and Fig. 1, F and
G). Hence, these data identify two
states with similarly abnormal whole wall HEP and
Pi values but distinctly different
levels of myocyte oxygenation. During total LAD occlusion, additional
myocardial HEP loss was accompanied by a much larger Mb-
signal
(Fig. 1H). The apparent difference in the line widths in Fig. 1, G and
H, most likely originates from
temperature gradients in the ischemic zone during partial coronary
artery occlusion (Fig. 1G) due to
inhomogeneous perfusion of the myocardial wall during partial blood
flow reduction. It is well known that the chemical shift of the
contact-shifted proximal histidine resonance exhibits a strong
dependence on temperature. During ischemia, when blood flow is
interrupted, tissue temperature changes; hence, the proximal histidine
resonance of Mb-
shifts. Under partial coronary occlusion (Fig.
1G), the ischemic myocardial blood
flow was 0.78, 0.54, and 0.33 ml · min
1 · g
1
for Epi, Mid, and Endo, respectively, compared with basal values of
1.10, 1.16, and 1.23, respectively. The blood flow gradient leads a
corresponding temperature gradient as well. In turn, these gradients
are expected to affect both the average (i.e., "peak") resonance
frequency and the distribution of that frequency for the Mb-
proximal histidine resonance. In contrast to partial occlusion, total
occlusion (Fig. 1H) resulted in
severe and relatively uniform reduction in blood flow (the myocardial
blood flow decreased to 0.03, 0.00, and 0.00 for Epi, Mid, and Endo,
respectively). In this case, the line width was narrower and the
"peak" frequency tended to shift further away from the water resonance.
In one animal we performed a partial coronary occlusion during the
catecholamine-induced high work state (data not shown). This was done
to prove that the higher heart rates during the high work states did
not limit our ability to detect the Mb-
resonance with
1H NMR spectroscopy. A large
Mb-
resonance was detected during partial LAD occlusion performed
during the catecholamine infusion.
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DISCUSSION |
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This study tested the hypothesis that the reduction of the myocardial
HEP and the appearance of Pi
observed during high cardiac work states are not caused by inadequate
intracellular oxygenation. The data support this hypothesis because the
HEP reductions at high work states were not associated with detectable
myoglobin desaturation. In contrast, when reductions of HEP comparable
to those during catecholamine stimulation were induced by moderate blood flow restriction, myoglobin desaturation was present (the expected result), and total occlusion of the coronary artery was associated with a much larger Mb-
signal. Taken together, the data
indicate that in normal canine myocardium neither blood flow (i.e.,
convective O2 delivery) nor
O2 diffusion from the red blood cell into the cytosol limits mitochondrial
O2 availability at moderately high workloads.
Myocyte oxygenation measurements: comparison with
previous data. Transmission and reflectance optical
spectroscopic techniques have been used to evaluate myoglobin and
cytochrome oxidase O2 saturations
in crystalloid-perfused hearts (15, 27, 39, 46). Such studies have
reported no or moderate myoglobin desaturation under baseline
conditions, and all demonstrated myoglobin desaturation when perfusate
flow was reduced. In several of these studies, mild to moderate
increases of work state were not associated with additional myoglobin
desaturation, even if some desaturation was present at baseline.
However, the relevance of these studies to the in vivo state has not
been clear because perfusate composition, flow, and the workloads
attained in the ex vivo hearts differ significantly from in vivo
conditions. In the present study, as well as in an earlier report (6),
we were unable to detect Mb-
in in vivo canine myocardium under
baseline conditions, although it was readily observed when blood flow
was reduced. Several preliminary reports published in abstract form are
also relevant to the present data. In one study (2), reflectance
spectroscopy was used to determine myocardial myoglobin desaturation in
the epicardium of the in vivo dog heart during baseline and
catecholamine-stimulated states. No myoglobin desaturation was observed
during either condition. In another preliminary study in which Mb-
in the in vivo rat heart was assessed with
1H MRS (25), the investigators
were unable to detect Mb-
under baseline conditions or with
dobutamine stimulation sufficient to double the RPP. However,
resonances from both Mb-
and deoxyhemoglobin were detected
subsequent to hypoxia.
Myocardial myoglobin saturation and
PO2 measurements:
methodological considerations.
Because absolute PO2 values cannot be
extrapolated from the 1H MRS
Mb-
measurements obtained in this report, a brief discussion of the
physiological boundaries that apply to our data is warranted. The
Mb-
resonances obtained during partial coronary occlusion were
normalized to the Mb-
resonance during total coronary occlusion, which was taken to represent 100% myoglobin desaturation. However, because of continuing collateral blood flow (representing ~5% of
mean baseline flow), it is clear that the Mb-
resonance during total
occlusion was smaller than would have been the case if there were 100%
myoglobin desaturation. Because of collateral blood flow, it is likely
that the Mb-
resonance obtained during complete LAD occlusion
corresponded to <95% of the total myoglobin content (corresponding
to an equilibrating PO2 value <0.13
mmHg according to the Hill equation). Similarly, myocyte
PO2 values during basal and
catecholamine-stimulated conditions are also indeterminate. However,
from the myoglobin-PO2 relationship (assuming a P50 value for
O2 of 2.39 mmHg), it is likely
that myoglobin was at least ~10% desaturated during basal and
elevated work states for the following reasons (37). Coronary venous blood has a PO2 of ~30 mmHg in this
open chest model under both basal work state conditions and
catecholamine stimulation. This presumably reflects a mean capillary
PO2 that is higher; i.e., ~40 mmHg
(this estimate is based on published estimates in in vivo skeletal
muscle working at ~30-50% of maximum
O2 consumption) (33, 34). If a 20- to 30-mmHg PO2 gradient exists between the capillary and the cytosol (33, 34), then the myoglobin desaturation curve would predict that myoglobin will be between 10 and
20% desaturated (corresponding intramyocyte
PO2 values between 21 and 10 mmHg). A
resonance reflecting ~10% desaturation would be difficult to detect
in our 1H spectra. This limitation
reflects the fact the myoglobin resonance is very broad, and spectral
baselines are not totally flat. Consequently, it is difficult to assign
with certainty the peaks seen in the appropriate chemical shift region
to the Mb-
resonance when deoxymyoglobin desaturation is <10%. At
higher levels of desaturation, the peak can be confidently identified,
and the accuracy of the measurement based on the signal-to-noise ratio
is better than 10%.
detection is greatest in the outer myocardial layers that are closest
to the surface coil. This is of special concern when coronary blood
flow is limited by a stenosis, because the flow deficit and HEP
reductions occur primarily in the subendocardium (32). In this
situation Mb-
spectra might underestimate the degree of desaturation
present in the inner layers where ischemia is most severe.
Nevertheless, the coronary stenosis was associated with a prominent
Mb-
peak. The effect of proximity to the surface coil is less of a
consideration during the catecholamine infusion protocol, because the
HEP alterations during catecholamine infusion are essentially uniform
across the LV wall (45). Furthermore, when
31P and
1H spectra are compared,
differential sensitivity across the wall is not a concern because both
data sets have similar sensitivity profiles as a function of distance
from the surface coil. Both 31P
and 1H spectra represent signals
originating from the entire wall under the coil without transmural
spatial differentiation. The 31P
spectra were obtained using an ISIS column selection perpendicular to
the LV; the dimension of this ISIS localization was 2.3 × 2.3 cm2, whereas the coil diameter was
2.8 cm. Thus the ISIS voxel cross section was large relative to the
coil dimensions. Therefore, in the plane perpendicular to the coil axis
(i.e., parallel to the surface of the LV wall under the coil), the
31P signal covered ~60-70%
of the area seen in the 1H
studies. The two volumes, however, are concentric. Perpendicular to the
coil axis, across the LV wall, both
1H and
31P spectra cover the same volume,
so that any partial volume effect resulting from the sensitive volume
extending into cavitary blood would be similar for the two spectra. A
final consideration concerns the difference in line width for
1H spectra observed during partial
and total coronary artery occlusion (Fig. 1,
G and
H, respectively). The broader line
width during partial coronary occlusion is likely the result of a
temperature gradient across the LV wall. The chemical shift of the
contact-shifted proximal histidine resonance exhibits a strong
dependence on temperature (23). A coronary stenosis that decreases
arterial inflow results in marked heterogeneity of tissue perfusion,
with flows lowest in the subendocardium. It is likely that a
corresponding gradient of myocardial temperature occurs, which would
result in a variable shift in the proximal histidine resonance, thereby
broadening the spectrum. In contrast, during total occlusion, blood
flow is markedly decreased across the entire LV wall; in this case, the
peak shift of the proximal histidine resonance away from the water
resonance would be greater than the average shift during a partial
coronary stenosis, but the temperature-induced shift would be more
uniform across the LV wall, resulting in a narrower resonance.
Myocyte oxygenation measurements: physiological
implications. It is of interest to compare the present
data obtained during moderately high workloads in normal myocardium
with previous data from working skeletal muscle. No Mb-
resonance is
detected in resting skeletal muscle (28, 31, 34). However, in an
1H MRS study of exercised human
quadriceps muscle, myoglobin saturation decreased to ~50% with
half-maximal work and then remained essentially constant as the load
was further increased to achieve a maximal work state (34). Wittenberg
(43) pointed out that maximal facilitation of
O2 transport (by cytosolic
myoglobin) occurs only when myoglobin is significantly desaturated. The
findings in skeletal muscle suggest that myoglobin plays a role in
facilitating O2 transport to the
mitochondria over a broad range of workloads. It is of interest that
skeletal muscle PO2 levels and maximal exercise capacity are reduced during hypoxia (34), while hyperoxia (induced by breathing 100%
O2) increased maximal skeletal muscle O2 utilization (22). Taken
together, these data imply that maximal
O2 delivery to the mitochondria is
the rate-limiting step for oxidative phosphorylation in oxidative
skeletal muscle. In the heart, mitochondrial concentration and
capillary density are more than twice as great as in skeletal muscle.
Thus, in normal porcine, canine and human myocardium mitochondria
comprise ~25% of cell volume, whereas in highly oxidative skeletal
muscle mitochondrial volume is 4-9% (3, 17, 37).
O2 consumption rates in human maximal single leg exercise are reported to be as high as ~60 ml · min
1 · 100 g
1 (33, 34), which
translates to 8-10
ml · min
1 · ml
of mitochondria
1 (38).
Because mitochondrial volume and capillarity are strongly correlated with muscle oxidative capacity
(Vmax) (17, 38), the greater
capillarity and mitochondrial content of myocardium suggest that the
O2-delivery capacity of the heart
should be far higher than the peak
M
O2 values attained in our
anesthetized animals (~30
ml · min
1 · 100 g
1). Exercise-recruitable
blood flow is greater in cardiac muscle than in oxidative skeletal
muscle (18, 33, 34), and the functional capillary diffusional surface
area increases proportionately with blood flow (4). Consistent with a
large O2 delivery and diffusion
capacity, the current observations suggest that substantial myoglobin
desaturation is not required to facilitate
O2 conductance at
M
O2 values that
approximate 35-50% of those achieved in heavily exercising
animals. For example, if 10% (or even 20%) desaturation is assumed,
the carrier function of myoglobin would be expected to be modest (see
Ref. 43 for discussion). Recent data obtained in a transgenic mouse
model support the concept that myoglobin facilitation of
O2 transport in the heart is not
essential at moderately high cardiac workloads. Mice without skeletal
or cardiac muscle myoglobin exhibited normal exercise and
O2 consumption capacities during
treadmill testing (10). Furthermore, perfused hearts isolated from
these animals performed similarly to normal hearts across a
considerable range of workloads (10). However, these data do not
exclude the possibility that myoglobin facilitation of
O2 conductance would be required
at the higher M
O2 levels achievable during exercise. During heavy treadmill exercise in the dog,
coronary venous PO2 can fall to ~15
mmHg (18); under these conditions myocardial myoglobin desaturation
sufficient to facilitate O2
transport would not be unexpected.
HEP responses during catecholamine
infusion. During catecholamine infusion, the CP/ATP
fell and
Pi/CP rose
significantly in all transmural myocardial layers (transmural layer
data not shown). These HEP changes were not associated with detectable myoglobin desaturation, indicating that the cytosolic
O2 concentration remained high
during this period of markedly increased ATP synthesis. The mechanisms
of the HEP and Pi alterations
during catecholamine infusion are at present unknown. However, in
preliminary studies we observed that pyruvate infusion can correct the
CP/ATP abnormalities present during catecholamine infusion without
causing M
O2 to increase (7).
This suggests that the HEP reductions may be mediated, at least in
part, by alterations in the carbon substrate utilization pattern
without either carbon substrate or
O2 delivery being the
rate-limiting step. It has previously been documented both in vitro and
in vivo that the type of carbon substrate utilized affects the HEP and
Pi levels at any given
steady-state O2 consumption rate
(9, 21, 40). This is thought to be a consequence of substrate-induced
alterations of mitochondrial NADH levels that affect cytosolic ADP
levels (9, 40). Thus a relatively higher glucose + glycogen-to-fatty
acid utilization ratio during catecholamine infusion would be
consistent with increased ADP and
Pi, as observed at high
workloads in the canine myocardium. Because myocardial creatine kinase
is near equilibrium, CP levels would fall as ADP levels rose (41).
Clearly, more work will be required to fully identify the mechanisms
that contribute to the observed HEP changes during high cardiac workloads.
In conclusion, the current data support the hypothesis that the
decreases of myocardial CP/ATP, CP, and ATP and the elevation of
Pi observed at moderately high
levels of M
O2 in normal
canine myocardium are not a consequence of inadequate intracellular
oxygenation. Thus neither blood flow nor
O2 diffusion capacity restrict
mitochrondrial O2 availability at
the high workloads achieved in the present study. The data demonstrate
the value of myocyte oxygenation measurements when interpreting the
mechanism of myocardial HEP changes resulting from pharmacological or
physiological interventions.
| |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS |
|---|
This work was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Service Grants HL-21872, HL-33600, HL-50470, HL-57994, and HL-58067; an Established Investigator award from the American Heart Association (to J. Zhang); a Grant-in-Aid from the American Heart Association-National (to J. Zhang); and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Research Funds (to A. H. L. From).
| |
FOOTNOTES |
|---|
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.
Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: J. Zhang, Box 508 Univ. of Minnesota Health Science Center, 420 Delaware St., SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (E-mail: zhang047{at}tc.umn.edu).
Received 11 August 1998; accepted in final form 3 March 1999.
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