Role of κ-opioid receptor activation in pharmacological preconditioning of swine

Pharmacological preconditioning with κ-opioid receptor agonists is proarrhythmic and exerts antipreconditioning effects in rats. In swine, it is unknown whether κ-opioid receptor stimulation plays a role in pharmacological preconditioning. Swine were preconditioned with 1) saline (controls), 2) [D-Ala²,D-Leu⁵]enkephalin (DADLE), 3) morphine, 4) pentazocine, 5) norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI), 6) DADLE + nor-BNI, 7) morphine + nor-BNI, or 8) pentazocine + nor-BNI before occlusion (45 min) and reperfusion (180 min) of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Infarct size to area at risk (IS), regional (systolic shortening) and global (pressures and flows) myocardial function, and arrhythmia occurrence were assessed. Only DADLE + nor-BNI preconditioning significantly decreased infarct size compared with controls (47 ± 13 vs. 65 ± 5%, P < 0.05); morphine preconditioning was not cardioprotective with or without κ-opioid receptor blockade (nor-BNI). DADLE preconditioning significantly increased ischemia-induced arrhythmias relative to controls, whereas pentazocine-preconditioned animals (n = 2) experienced intractable ventricular fibrillation during ischemia. κ-Opioid receptor blockade with DADLE or pentazocine preconditioning alleviated proarrhythmic effects. These results suggest that κ-opioid receptor activation during pharmacological preconditioning is proarrhythmic in swine.