Demonstration of hydroxyl radical generation in stunned' myocardium of intact dogs using aromatic hydroxylation of phenylalanine

Numerous studies have shown that postischemic myocardial dysfunction is attenuated by scavengers of hydroxyl ({sup {sm bullet}}OH) radicals and by iron chelators, suggesting an important pathogenetic role of {sup {sm bullet}}OH. However, the evidence provided by these studies is indirect. Since phenyl-alanine (PH) has been shown to react with {sup {sm bullet}}OH to form o-, m-, and p-tyrosines (TYR), the authors used aromatic hydroxylation of PH to detect {sup {sm bullet}}OH in stunned myocardium. Open-chest dogs underwent a 15-min coronary occlusion (O) followed by reperfusion (R). PH was infused i.v. starting 5 min pre-O and ending 10 min after R (n = 3) or starting at R and ending 10 min later (n = 8). TYR concentration in local coronary venous effluent plasma was measured using HPLC with electrochemical detection. No appreciable production of TYR was observed before or during O. After R, however, in all dogs there was a dramatic increase in myocardial production of o-, m-, and p-TYR which peaked at 1-3 min and ceased after 10 min. In 5 control dogs, infusion of PH without O/R did not result in any TYR production. These results provide evidence that the highly reactive {sup {sm bullet}}OH radical is producedmore » after brief regional ischemia in the intact animal and indicate that PH may be a useful probe for measuring this species. The findings support the hypothesis that {sup {sm bullet}}OH contributes to myocardial stunning.'« less