We investigated the modifications of cardiac ryanodine receptors/sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channels occurring in ischemic preconditioning. In an isolated rat heart model, the injury produced by 30 minutes of global ischemia was reduced by preexposure to three 3-minute periods of global ischemia (preconditioning ischemia). The protection was still present 120 minutes after preconditioning ischemia but disappeared after 240 minutes. Three 1-minute periods of global ischemia did not provide any protection. In the crude homogenate obtained from ventricular myocardium, the density of [3H]ryanodine binding sites averaged 372 +/- 18 fmol/mg of protein in the control condition, decreased 5 minutes after preconditioning ischemia (290 +/- 15 fmol/mg, P < .01), was still significantly reduced after 120 minutes (298 +/- 17 fmol/mg, P < .05), and recovered after 240 minutes (341 +/- 21 fmol/mg). Three 1-minute periods of ischemia did not produce any change in ryanodine binding. The Kd for ryanodine (1.5 +/- 0.3 nmol/L) was unchanged in all cases. In parallel experiments, the crude homogenate or a microsomal fraction was passively loaded with 45Ca, and Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release was studied by the quick filtration technique. In both preparations, the rate constant of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release decreased 5 and 120 minutes after preconditioning ischemia (homogenate values: 19.7 +/- 1.4 and 18.9 +/- 0.9 s-1 vs a control value of 25.4 +/- 1.7 s-1, P < .05 in both cases) and recovered after 240 minutes (23.0 +/- 1.9 s-1). The Ca2+ dependence of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release was not affected by preconditioning ischemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)