Using δ-Opioid Receptor Agonists to Protect Skeletal Muscle against Low pH Hypoxic Damage

Abstract

During many surgical procedures, tissue experiences a period of ischemia which can cause stunning, apoptosis, and necrosis of the tissue. By minimizing this damage, procedural outcomes and patient recovery could be improved.

It is unclear as to whether opioid receptor agonists demonstrate protective properties against ischemic injury or not. It is thought that δ-agonists could be beneficial while κ-agonists could be detrimental. Even less is known about μ-agonists.

Previous in vitro models that have addressed ischemia/reperfusion injury utilize buffering systems which maintain a constant pH of 7.4. This is not the most accurate representation of ischemia as it does not account for the drop in tissue pH caused by the buildup of metabolic wastes. By creating a high CO2 hypoxic event, thus lowering the pH to 6.5, our model was better able to mimic real-life ischemic conditions.