Fig. 1.

Cardiac conditioning can be induced by brief periods of ischemia (red lines), that is ischemic preconditioning (IPreC), postconditioning (IPostC) and remote conditioning (RIC), as well as by hypothermic or pharmacological interventions. Pre-, Per- and Postconditioning are able to protect the heart vs IRI, by triggering three main transduction pathways, SAFE, RISK and NO/PKG pathways; these pathways can cross-talk and result in the activation of anti-apoptotic stimuli and the preservation of mitochondrial function. Akt Protein kinase B, cGMP cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate, eNOS endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase, ERK1/2 Extracellular Receptor Kinase ½, GSK3β Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β, IPreC Ischemic PreConditioning, JAK Janus Kinase, MAPK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase, MEK MAPK/ERK Kinase, NO Nitric Oxide, PI3K PhosphatidylInositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-Kinase, PKCε Protein Kinase C ε subtype, PKG Protein Kinase G, RAF serine/threonine kinase, RAS rat Sarcoma Virus, RISK Reperfusion Injury Salvage Kinase, SAFE Survivor Activating Factor Enhancement, STAT3 Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3