Figure 1.

Effect of IL-18BP on ischemia-induced myocardial contractile dysfunction. (A) Kinetic response to ischemic injury. After equilibration (eq), control (Ctrl) trabeculae were suprafused under normoxic conditions throughout the experiment. Trabeculae were subjected to I/R in the absence or presence of IL-18BP (5 μg/ml) as described in the experimental model. The vertical axis indicates percent of developed force compared with initiation of the experiment (time 0). The data are derived from trabeculae of a single patient and are representative of the methods used to calculate the mean change in developed force at 90 min. (B). Postischemic developed force after neutralization of IL-18 with IL-18BP. Results are expressed as the mean percent change in developed force relative to Ctrl after completion of reperfusion (90 min). Numbers in parentheses indicate IL-18BP in μg/ml (n = 6). *, P < 0.01 compared with I/R.