Coenzyme Q10 exogenous administration attenuates cold stress cardiac injury.

The influence of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in cold stress test (-15 degrees C for 4 hours) cardiac functional impairment was studied in isolated isovolumic heart of control rats (C; n=12) and of placebo (P; n=11) and treated rats (CoQ10; n=10). In addition, electron microscopic evaluation of left ventricular (LV) slices (n=3 in each group) allowed us to analyze the myocardial ultrastructure. Maximal values of developed pressure (DPmax) were similarly decreased in cold stressed animals (C=129+/-3.9 mmHg; P=106+/-6.7 mmHg; CoQ10=91+/-3.9 mmHg); however, volume-induced enhancement of pressure generation (slope of DP volume relations: C=0.248+/-0.0203 mmHg / microl; P=0.2831+/-0.0187 mmHg / microl; CoQ10=0.2387 ( 0.0225 mmHg / microl; p > 0.05), and the duration of systole (C=80+/-1.6 ms; P=78+/-1.3 ms; CoQ10=80+/-2.7 ms) were not altered. Myocardial relaxation, evaluated by the relaxation constant (C=39+/-1.9 ms; P=42+/-3.4 ms; CoQ10=51+/-6.0 ms), as well as resting stress / strain relations were unaffected by cold stress. Myocardial samples showed that pretreatment with CoQ10 attenuates myofibrillar and mitochondrial lesions, and prevents mitochondrial fractional area increase (P: 53.11%>CoQ10: 38.78%=C: 33.87%; p< 0.005) indicating that the exogenous administration of CoQ10 can reduce cold stress myocardial injury.