Enhanced ADP-ribosylation and its diminution by lipoamide after ischemia-reperfusion in perfused rat heart

Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) is considered to play an important role in oxidative cell damage. We assumed that ischemia-reperfusion resulting from the increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to the activation of endogenous mono- and poly-ADP-ribosylation reactions and that the reduction of ROS level by lipoamide, a less known antioxidant, can reverse these unfavorable processes. Experiments were performed on isolated Langendorff hearts subjected to 60-min ischemia followed by reperfusion. ROS, malondialdehyde, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) breaks, and NAD+ content were assayed in the hearts, and the ADP-ribosylation of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins were determined by Western blot assay. Ischemia-reperfusion caused a moderate (30.2 ± 8%) increase in ROS production determined by the dihydrorhodamine123 method and significantly increased the malondialdehyde production (from <1 to 23 ± 2.7 nmol/ml), DNA damage (undamaged DNA decreased from 71 ± 7% to 23.1 ± 5%), and NAD+ catabolism. In addition, ischemia-reperfusion activated the mono-ADP-ribosylation of GRP78 and the self-ADP-ribosylation of the nuclear PARP. The perfusion of hearts with lipoamide significantly decreased the ischemia-reperfusion-induced cell membrane damage determined by enzyme release (LDH, CK, and GOT), decreased the ROS production, reduced the malondialdehyde production to 5.5 ± 2.4 nmol/ml, abolished DNA damage, and reduced NAD+ catabolism. The ischemia-reperfusion-induced activation of poly- and mono-ADP-ribosylation reactions were also reverted by lipoamide. In isolated rat heart mitochondria, dihydrolipoamide was found to be a better antioxidant than dihydrolipoic acid. Ischemia-reperfusion by ROS overproduction and increasing DNA breaks activates PARP leading to accelerated NAD+ catabolism, impaired energy metabolism, and cell damage. Lipoamide by reducing ROS levels halts PARP activation and membrane damage and improves the recovery of postischemic myocardium.