Diazoxide, a mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channel opener, protects the heart from ischemia–reperfusion injury. Diazoxide also inhibits mitochondrial complex II-dependent
respiration in addition to its preconditioning effect. However, there are no prior studies of the role of diazoxide on post-ischemic
myocardial oxygenation. In the current study, we determined the effect of diazoxide on the suppression of post-ischemic myocardial
tissue hyperoxygenation in vivo, superoxide (O2
−•) generation in isolated mitochondria, and impairment of the interaction between complex II and complex III in purified mitochondrial
proteins. It was observed that diazoxide totally suppressed the post-ischemic myocardial hyperoxygenation. With succinate
but not glutamate/malate as the substrate, diazoxide significantly increased ubisemiquinone-dependent O2
−• generation, which was not blocked by 5-HD and glibenclamide. Using a model system, the super complex of succinate-cytochrome
c reductase (SCR) hosting complex II and complex III, we also observed that diazoxide impaired complex II and its interaction
with complex III with no effect on complex III. UV–visible spectral analysis revealed that diazoxide decreased succinate-mediated
ferricytochrome b reduction in SCR. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that diazoxide suppressed the in vivo post-ischemic myocardial
hyperoxygenation through opening the mitoKATP channel and ubisemiquinone-dependent O2
−• generation via inhibiting mitochondrial complex II-dependent respiration.
Keywords Mitochondria - Diazoxide - Superoxide - Ischemia reperfusion - Oxygenation