T Guenoun1, O Montagne, M Laplace, B Crozatier. 1. Unité Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM) U400, Faculté de Médecine, Créteil, France. tguenoun@invivo.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Propofol is considered to be an anesthetic agent with few or no negative inotropic effects. This study evaluated a possible direct depressant effect of propofol on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ accumulation and cardiomyocytes. METHODS: The effects of propofol on intracellular Ca2+ transients were evaluated in isolated rat cardiomyocytes using a microfluorometric technique with Indo-1. Sarcoplasmic reticulum function was also assessed by measuring the oxalate-stimulated Ca2+ uptake from homogenates of rat ventricles. RESULTS: The Ca2+ uptake capacity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum was decreased by propofol (10(-4) M). Large concentrations of propofol decreased the rate of decrease of the intracellular Ca2+ transient, which resulted in an increase of diastolic Ca2+ when the diastolic interval was decreased. The increased diastolic Ca2+ also resulted in a decrease in Ca2+ transient. This effect appeared for lower doses (10(-5) M) after a short diastolic pause rather than after a long (2- to 3-min) rest (appearing at 10(-4) M). CONCLUSIONS: For doses more than 10(-5) M, propofol induces a Ca2+ uptake capacity impairment of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This is probably responsible for a slowing of the decrease of the Ca2+ transient, which in turn increases the diastolic Ca2+ for high heart rate. These diastolic modifications may participate in the slight negative inotropic effect of the drug.
BACKGROUND:Propofol is considered to be an anesthetic agent with few or no negative inotropic effects. This study evaluated a possible direct depressant effect of propofol on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ accumulation and cardiomyocytes. METHODS: The effects of propofol on intracellular Ca2+ transients were evaluated in isolated rat cardiomyocytes using a microfluorometric technique with Indo-1. Sarcoplasmic reticulum function was also assessed by measuring the oxalate-stimulated Ca2+ uptake from homogenates of rat ventricles. RESULTS: The Ca2+ uptake capacity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum was decreased by propofol (10(-4) M). Large concentrations of propofol decreased the rate of decrease of the intracellular Ca2+ transient, which resulted in an increase of diastolic Ca2+ when the diastolic interval was decreased. The increased diastolic Ca2+ also resulted in a decrease in Ca2+ transient. This effect appeared for lower doses (10(-5) M) after a short diastolic pause rather than after a long (2- to 3-min) rest (appearing at 10(-4) M). CONCLUSIONS: For doses more than 10(-5) M, propofol induces a Ca2+ uptake capacity impairment of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This is probably responsible for a slowing of the decrease of the Ca2+ transient, which in turn increases the diastolic Ca2+ for high heart rate. These diastolic modifications may participate in the slight negative inotropic effect of the drug.
Authors: P Meneton; M Bloch-Faure; A A Hagege; H Ruetten; W Huang; S Bergaya; D Ceiler; D Gehring; I Martins; G Salmon; C M Boulanger; J Nussberger; B Crozatier; J M Gasc; D Heudes; P Bruneval; T Doetschman; J Ménard; F Alhenc-Gelas Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2001-02-20 Impact factor: 11.205