Background: A higher increase in intracellular Na+ via Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) during ischemia has been reported in type 2 diabetic mouse hearts. We investigated the role of NHE in inducing changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i)) and alterations in ventricular function during ischemia-reperfusion in type 2 diabetic mouse hearts.
Methods: Hearts from male type 2 diabetic db/db (12-15 weeks old) and age-matched control db/+ mice were subjected to Langendorff perfusion and loaded with 4 mu M of the Ca2+ indicator fura-2. The hearts were exposed to no-flow ischemia for 15 minutes and then reperfused. [Ca2+](i) was measured by monitoring fura-2 fluorescence at 500 nm (excitation wavelengths of 340 and 380 nm), while left ventricular (LV) pressure was simultaneously measured. Results: db/db hearts exhibited a lower recovery of LV developed pressure than db/+ hearts during reperfusion following ischemia. Diastolic [Ca2+](i) was increased to a greater level in diabetic hearts than in the control hearts during ischemia and reperfusion. Such an increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ overload during ischemia-reperfusion in diabetic hearts was markedly reduced in the presence of the NHE inhibitor cariporide. This was accompanied by a significantly improved recovery of ventricular function on reperfusion, as shown by a lower increase in diastolic pressure and increased recovery of developed pressure.
Conclusion: NHE plays a key role in enhancing cytoplasmic Ca2+ overload during ischemia-reperfusion and severely impairing post-ischemic cardiac function in hearts from type 2 diabetic db/db mice.