Cardio-protective effects of combined l-arginine and insulin: Mechanism and therapeutic actions in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability plays a central role in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I-R), and reduced l-arginine transport via cationic amino acid transporter-1 is a key contributor to the reduced NO levels. Insulin can increase NO levels by increasing the transport of its substrate l-arginine but insulin alone exerts minimal cardiac protection in I-R. We hypothesized that combined insulin and l-arginine may provide cardioprotective effects in the setting of myocardial I-R. The effect of supplemental insulin, l-arginine and the combination was examined in cardiomyocytes exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation and in isolated perfused mouse hearts undergoing ischemia/reperfusion. When compared to controls, cardiomyocytes treated upon reoxygenation with 1 nM insulin+1 mM l-arginine exhibited significant (all P<0.05) improvements in NO generation and mitochondrial membrane potential, with a concomitant fall in reactive oxygen species production and LDH release. Insulin also increased l-arginine uptake following hypoxia-reoxygenation (P<0.05; n=4–6). In langendorff perfused isolated mouse hearts, combined l-arginine-insulin treatment upon reperfusion significantly (all P<0.05; n=9–11) improved recovery of left ventricular developed pressure, rate pressure product and end diastolic pressure following ischemia, independent of any changes in post-ischemic coronary flow, together with significantly lower LDH release. The observed improvements were greater than l-arginine or insulin treatment alone. In isolated cardiomyocytes (n=3–5), 1 nM insulin caused cationic amino acid transporter-1 to redistribute to the cellular membrane from the cytosol and the effects of insulin on l-arginine uptake were partially dependent on the PI3K/Akt pathway. l-arginine-insulin treatment may be a novel strategy to ameliorate I-R injury.