Oxidative phosphorylation in cardiac infarct. Effect of glucose-KCl-insulin solution

Myocardial infarction was produced in dogs by ligature of the anterior descending coronary artery. Sarcosomes were isolated from normal and infarcted tissue. Oxygen consumption was followed polarographically and adenosine triphosphate was measured as glucose 6-phosphate. One group of animals received a continuous infusion of glucose for 12 hr; another group received "polarizing solution" (glucose-KCl-insulin). Sarcosomes from the first had a low oxygen consumption, no respiratory control, and no oxidative phosphorylation. In contrast, the administration of glucose-KCl-insulin solution maintained practically within normal limits these functional aspects of the sarcosomes. The reversal of electrocardiographic abnormalities by the administration of the polarizing solution coincided with improvement of such biochemical functions. Anesthesia and surgical handling did not appear to modify the behavior of the sarcosomes.