Deferoxamine pretreatment reduces canine infarct size and oxidative injury

Abstract

To test whether iron-catalyzed processes contribute to myocardial necrosis during ischemia and reperfusion, we administered the iron chelator, deferoxamine, to chloralose-anesthetized dogs subjected to 0 min of left anterior descending artery occlusion followed by 360 min of reperfusion. Deferoxamine blocks iron-catalyzed hydroxyl radical formation in vitro. Groups of dogs received either pretreatment with deferoxamine or iron-loaded deferoxamine (15 mg/kg over 30 min preocclusion and 2.5 mg/kg/hr during the first 120 min of reperfusion), equal volumes of saline or deferoxamine treatment during reperfusion (15 mg/kg over 30 min beginning at 75 min of occlusion followed by 2.5 mg/kg/hr during the remainder of the first 120 min of reperfusion). Infarct size as a percentage of area at risk was reduced (P