The Activity of Lipoprotein Lipase in Rat Heart after Tourniquet Stress

Abstract

Previously (1971) we found a considerable hyperlipaemia in rats subjected to sublethal tourniquet stress and 48–72 hr after stress the values returned to normal. Robinson and Jennings (1965 proved that perfusion of rat heart with heparinized McEwen-albumin solution by the Langendorf technique resulted in the release of clearing factor lipase into the perfusate. Later Gartner and Vahouny (1966) demonstrated the presence and heparin activation of lipoprotein lipase in the subcellular fractions of rat heart homogenate. To get a detailed answer to the changes in the lipoprotein lipase activity in rat heart we adopted the Gartner and Vahouny method (1966) as preferable to the acetone extracted powder method proposed by Korn (1955a, 1955b), The presence of the lipoprotein lipase in the cardiac muscle enables the heart to utilise circulating triglyceride fatty acids effectively as source of energy. The main purpose of the present study was to determine the pathophysiological significance of the heart lipoprotein lipase in sublethal tourniquet stress of rats.