Bicarbonate/CO2 increase damage in ischemia-reperfusion injury: from observation to molecular characterization

Author(s)

Bruno Barros Queliconi

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ)
• Defense date: 2014-10-17

Examining board members

Alicia Juliana Kowaltowski; Daniela Sanchez Bassères; Marilene Demasi; Denise de Castro Fernandes; Flavia Carla Meotti

• Advisor: Alicia Juliana Kowaltowski

Abstract

Bicarbonate is an important molecule in all living being, acting as the main cellular buffer. However, its biological and redox activity has been mostly neglected to date. Ischemia is an event in which an inhibition of nutrient availablity and oxygen flow occurs, while reperfusion is the return of nutrients and oxygen, accompanied of a burst of reactive oxygen species production and cell death. Here, we studied the effects of bicarbonate during cardiac ischemia-reperfusion. In our model, we kept the pH stable and changed the concentration of the bicarbonate. We then subjected cells, organs and animals to ischemia-reperfusion under conditions where there was no presence, basal blood concentration or a higher concentration of bicarbonate. In these diverse models, we found that the presence of bicarbonate increased damage after a ischemia-reperfusion, and promoted the accumulation of oxidized proteins. Bicarbonate did not change respiration, production of reactive oxygen species or the morphology of the mitochondria. There were also no changes in proteasome activity and in global autophagy markers, although there was an accumulation of mitophagy markers. We also found that mitophagy was responsible for the increased damage observed, since pharmacological inhibiting of autophagy abolished the increased damage caused by the presence of bicarbonate. In conclusion the presence of bicarbonate is deleterious in ischemia-reperfusion due mitophagy inhibition (AU)