Cardioprotective Signaling: Amino Acids as Mediators of Energy Metabolism in the Ischemic Heart

The objectives of the study were as follows: to study the features of catabolism/utilization of most endogenous amino acids of the heart under conditions of experimental ischemia and myocardial hypoxia; to clarify the relationship of these changes with the energy state of the myocardium, glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle; to investigate myocardial metabolism of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glutamine, asparagine, alanine and ammonia using the coronary arteriovenous difference method in patients with ischemic heart disease; to study the effect of exogenous glutamic acid, aspartic acids and arginine on metabolism and contractile function of the heart during experimental ischemia/hypoxia and subsequent reperfusion/reoxygenation; to evaluate in clinical studies the feasibility of using exogenous glutamic acid to reduce metabolic and functional disorders of the ischemic heart.