Effect of inhibition of the mitochondrial ATPase on net myocardial ATP in total ischemia

The effect of inhibition of the mitochondrial ATPase with oligomycin on the rate of ATP depletion and anaerobic glycolysis was studied in the totally ischemic dog heart. An oxygenated, buffered crystalloidal solution containing 10 μm oligomycin and 12 mm glucose was delivered at 100 mmHg pressure to the circumflex bed of the excised cooled heart. Buffered solution without oligomycin was delivered simultaneously to the anterior descending bed of the same heart. Little metabolic evidence of ischemia developed until the heart was made totally ischemic by incubating it in a sealed plastic bag at 37°C. Successful inhibition of the mitochondrial ATPase was confirmed by the absence of both mitochondrial ATPase activity and the loss of respiratory control in mitochondria isolated from treated tissue. ATP, glycolytic intermediates and catabolites of the adenine nucleotide pool were measured in the control and treated beds at various intervals during 120 min of ischemia. Inhibition of the ATPase resulted in slowing of the rates of ATP depletion and anaerobic glycolysis (estimated by lactate accumulation). Also, degradation of the adenine nucleotide pool occurred more slowly in the inhibited group. These data establish that about 35% of the ATP utilization observed during the first 90 min of total ischemia in the canine heart is due to mitochondrial ATPase activity.