Biomaterial Database

Effect of L-carnitine on the cellular distribution of carnitine and its acyl derivatives in the ischemic heart. 1992

S Fujisawa, and A Kobayashi, and Y Hironaka, and N Yamazaki

Third Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cellular distribution of carnitine and its acyl derivatives in the normal and ischemic myocardium, and the effects of exogenous 1-carnitine on this distribution and mitochondrial function in the ischemic dog heart. Under non-ischemic conditions, about 93% of the total cellular carnitine was located in the cytosolic compartment and 6.5% in the mitochondrial compartment. Sixty minutes of ischemia induced a decrease in the cytosolic free carnitine content, but caused the accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitine in the cytosolic and mitochondrial compartments. Treatment with 1-carnitine (30 or 100 mg/kg, i.v.) inhibited the mitochondrial accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitine. Free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism in the mitochondria differs from that in the cytosol. So, it is necessary to investigate the changes in FFA metabolism in both of these cellular compartments. Our results suggest that 1-carnitine has a protective effect on the ischemic heart by selectively reducing mitochondrial accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008929	Mitochondria, Heart	The mitochondria of the myocardium.	Heart Mitochondria,Myocardial Mitochondria,Mitochondrion, Heart,Heart Mitochondrion,Mitochondria, Myocardial
D009206	Myocardium	The muscle tissue of the HEART. It is composed of striated, involuntary muscle cells (MYOCYTES, CARDIAC) connected to form the contractile pump to generate blood flow.	Muscle, Cardiac,Muscle, Heart,Cardiac Muscle,Myocardia,Cardiac Muscles,Heart Muscle,Heart Muscles,Muscles, Cardiac,Muscles, Heart
D002331	Carnitine	A constituent of STRIATED MUSCLE and LIVER. It is an amino acid derivative and an essential cofactor for fatty acid metabolism.	Bicarnesine,L-Carnitine,Levocarnitine,Vitamin BT,L Carnitine
D003600	Cytosol	Intracellular fluid from the cytoplasm after removal of ORGANELLES and other insoluble cytoplasmic components.	Cytosols
D004285	Dogs	The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, comprising about 400 breeds, of the carnivore family CANIDAE. They are worldwide in distribution and live in association with people. (Walker's Mammals of the World, 5th ed, p1065)	Canis familiaris,Dog
D005230	Fatty Acids, Nonesterified	FATTY ACIDS found in the plasma that are complexed with SERUM ALBUMIN for transport. These fatty acids are not in glycerol ester form.	Fatty Acids, Free,Free Fatty Acid,Free Fatty Acids,NEFA,Acid, Free Fatty,Acids, Free Fatty,Acids, Nonesterified Fatty,Fatty Acid, Free,Nonesterified Fatty Acids
D000215	Acylation	The addition of an organic acid radical into a molecule.
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D017202	Myocardial Ischemia	A disorder of cardiac function caused by insufficient blood flow to the muscle tissue of the heart. The decreased blood flow may be due to narrowing of the coronary arteries (CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE), to obstruction by a thrombus (CORONARY THROMBOSIS), or less commonly, to diffuse narrowing of arterioles and other small vessels within the heart. Severe interruption of the blood supply to the myocardial tissue may result in necrosis of cardiac muscle (MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION).	Heart Disease, Ischemic,Ischemia, Myocardial,Ischemic Heart Disease,Disease, Ischemic Heart,Diseases, Ischemic Heart,Heart Diseases, Ischemic,Ischemias, Myocardial,Ischemic Heart Diseases,Myocardial Ischemias