Remote pharmacological preconditioning on median nerve territory increases Hsp32 expression and attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat heart

AimsThe aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that remote pharmacological preconditioning (RPP) induced myocardial heat shock protein (Hsp) 32 expression and attenuated the ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury of the heart in rats.Main methodsAnimals were injected at the left median nerve territory with chloralose and urethane mixture. At different time intervals, myocardial Hsp32 gene expression was analyzed. Primary heart cultures were used to investigate the direct effect of drug mixture on Hsp32 expression.Key findingsThe results showed that Hsp32 was time- and dose-dependently increased by in vivo drug mixture treatment, but not in primary cultures. RPP significantly decreased the duration of arrhythmia and incidence of stony heart in rats with subsequent I/R injury.SignificanceWe conclude that RPP on the left median nerve territory induced Hsp32 gene expression in the heart and attenuates myocardial damage functionally after subsequent I/R injury.