12-lipoxygenase in opioid-induced delayed cardioprotection: gene array, mass spectrometric, and pharmacological analyses.

12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) has been shown to be a factor in acute ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in the isolated rat heart; however, no studies have been reported in delayed PC. We characterized the role of 12-LO in an intact rat model of delayed PC induced by a delta-opioid agonist SNC-121 (SNC). Rats were pretreated with SNC and allowed to recover for 24 hours. They were then treated with either baicalein or phenidone, 2 selective 12-LO inhibitors. In addition, SNC-pretreated rats had plasma samples isolated at different times after ischemia-reperfusion for liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of the major metabolic product of 12-LO, 12-HETE. Similar studies were conducted with inhibitors. Gene array data showed a significant induction of 12-LO message (P<0.05) after opioid pretreatment. This induction in 12-LO mRNA was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and 12-LO protein expression was enhanced by SNC pretreatment at 24 hours relative to vehicle treatment. Both baicalein and phenidone attenuated the protective effects of SNC pretreatment on infarct size (50+/-4% and 42+/-3% versus 29+/-2%, P<0.05, respectively). No significant differences were observed in 12-HETE concentrations between baseline control and SNC-treated rats. However, 12-HETE concentrations were increased significantly at both 15 minutes during ischemia and at 1 hour of reperfusion in the SNC-treated rats compared with controls. Baicalein and phenidone attenuated the increase in 12-HETE at 1 hour of reperfusion. These data suggest that SNC-121 appears to enhance message and subsequently the activity and expression of 12-LO protein during times of stress, resulting in delayed cardioprotection.