The cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) in adult hearts is mediated by nitric oxide (NO). During the early developmental period, rat hearts exhibit higher resistance to ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, contain higher levels of serum nitrates, and their resistance cannot be further increased by IPC or IPoC. NOS blocker (L-NAME) lowers their high resistance. Wistar rat hearts (postnatal Days 1 and 10) were perfused according to Langendorff and exposed to 40 min of global ischemia followed by reperfusion with or without IPoC. NO and reactive oxygen species donors (DEA-NONO, SIN-1) and L-NAME were administered. Tolerance to ischemia decreased between Days 1 and 10. DEA-NONO (low concentrations) significantly increased tolerance to I/R injury on both Days 1 and 10. SIN-1 increased tolerance to I/R injury on Day 10, but not on Day 1. L-NAME significantly reduced resistance to I/R injury on Day 1, but actually increased resistance to I/R injury on Day 10. Cardioprotection by IPoC on Day 10 was not affected by either NO donors or L-NAME. It can be concluded that resistance of the neonatal heart to I/R injury is NO dependent, but unlike in adult hearts, cardioprotective interventions, such as IPoC, are most likely NO independent.

• Keywords
• DEA‐NONO, L‐NAME, SIN‐1, ischemic postconditioning, neonatal hearts, nitric oxide,
• MeSH
• Nitric Oxide Donors pharmacology   MeSH
• Ischemic Preconditioning, Myocardial methods   MeSH
• Ischemic Postconditioning * methods   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Molsidomine pharmacology   analogs & derivatives   MeSH
• Myocardium metabolism   MeSH
• NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester * pharmacology   MeSH
• Animals, Newborn * MeSH
• Nitric Oxide * metabolism   MeSH
• Rats, Wistar * MeSH
• Myocardial Reperfusion Injury * prevention & control   metabolism   MeSH
• Heart drug effects   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Nitric Oxide Donors MeSH
• Molsidomine MeSH
• NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester * MeSH
• Nitric Oxide * MeSH