Mitochondrial proteomics alterations in rat hearts following ischemia/reperfusion and diazoxide post-conditioning

Diazoxide post-conditioning (D-Post) has been shown to be effective in alleviating myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury; however, the specific mechanisms are not fully understood. In the present study, isolated rat hearts were subjected to I/R injury and D-Post. The mitochondria were extracted, and mitochondrial protein expression was detected in normal, I/R and D-Post hearts using two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. Differentially expressed proteins were then identified using comparative proteomics. In total, five differentially expressed proteins were identified between the I/R and D-Post hearts. Compared with the I/R hearts, the expression of NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) flavoprotein 1 (NDUFV1), NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase 75 kDa subunit (NDUFS1), 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase (OGDH) and ATP synthase α subunit (isoform CRA_b, gi|149029482) was increased in D-Post hearts. In addition, the expression of another isoform of ATP synthase α subunit (isoform CRA_c, gi|149029480) was decreased in the D-Post group compared with the I/R group. The expression profiles of NDUFV1, NDUFS1 and OGDH in the two groups were further validated via western blotting. The five differentially expressed proteins may be protective effectors in D-Post, as well as potential targets for the treatment of cardiac I/R injury.