The protective effect of Iloprost, a PGL2-analogue, on ultrastructure of ischemic and reperfused myocardial myocytes

Iloprost was used in experiments with does to investigate its ultrastructure -preserving effects on the myocardium during ischemia and reperfusion, focussed especially on the mitochondria. Ischemia was performed by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) for 90 min followed by reperfusion of 180 min. Samples were taken from the ischemic and non-ischemic area before ligation of LAD, immediately after ischemia and reperfusion. Iloprost was applicated into the left femoral vein after the end of LAD ligation. Ultrastructural-morphometric analysis revealed that iloprost was able to diminish damages of the mitochondria after ischemia and reperfusion as well. Mitochondrial oedema and intramitochondrial structure degenerations (destruction of cristae and matrix) were minimized in contrast to results of unprotected animals, which had to undergo the same procedure as indicated by volume, volume densities of mitochondria, and of the intramitochondrial compartments, confirmed by independent secondary morphometric parameters. There were no remarkable differences between the corresponding parameters of mitochondria in the ischemic and non-ischemic area.