RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Oxygenated Perfluorochemicals Improve Cell Survival during Reoxygenation by Pacifying Mitochondrial Activity JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 417 OP 424 DO 10.1124/jpet.107.133710 VO 325 IS 2 A1 Amina Arab A1 Klaus Kuemmerer A1 Jin Wang A1 Christoph Bode A1 Christoph Hehrlein YR 2008 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/325/2/417.abstract AB Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are known to provide a unique tool for controlled uptake and delivery of oxygen. We have characterized the effects of incremental oxygen delivery on cell viability of human ischemic cardiomyocytes using chemically inert PFCs as oxygen carrier. We have found that cell viability after prolonged ischemia depends on the dose of oxygen supplementation by oxygenated (ox) PFCs during reoxygenation. Although reoxygenation with the transient addition of oxPFCs in high concentrations (2250 μMO2 in 0.4 μM PFCs) results in decreased cell viability compared with normoxic reoxygenation, cell survival increases by 30 ± 4% after reoxygenation with moderate oxPFC concentrations (750 μM O2 in 0.1 μM PFCs). Immunoblot analysis revealed that oxPFC-supplemented reoxygenation causes marked (16-fold) deactivation of death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) signaling an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential and a decreased steady-state level of superoxide by 19 ± 3%. Reoxygenation with oxPFCs is further responsible for a 2-fold activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling an inadequate ATP supply by oxidative phosphorylation during reoxygenation. Addition of oxPFCs stabilizes both hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1-α and 2-α during reoxygenation. Overall, these results indicate that moderate doses of oxPFCs can improve cell survival during reoxygenation, causing deactivation of DAPK, up-regulation of AMPK, and HIF1-α and 2-α stabilization. These effects of oxPFCs are dose-dependent, and they lead to a stabilization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased steady-state levels of superoxide, and pacification of mitochondrial activity. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics