title: Oxidized LDL induce hsp70 expression in human smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) has been detected in atherosclerotic lesions, in which endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells are involved. In a previous report we showed that Ox-LDL, a causal factor in atherosclerosis, could induce hsp70 expression in cultured human endothelial cells [Zhu et al. B.B.R.C. 1994, 200:389]. Here, with immunofluorescence and immunoblotting techniques, we show that Ox-LDL are capable of inducing hsp70 expression also in human smooth muscle cells, and that this induction is dependent on cell density and on the concentration of Ox-LDL. The induced expression of hsp70 was higher in human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells than in a human smooth muscle cell line. Conversely, Ox-LDL was cytotoxic to both types of cells, more so to the human smooth muscle cell line. These observations indicate that Ox-LDL may be a stress responsible for hsp70 expression in atherosclerotic plaques and the presence of hsp70 in plaques may be a useful marker for continuous oxidative damage in the arterial wall.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roma
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirillo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pellegatta
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Catapano
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014471:Umbilical Veins
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C032629:acetyl-LDL; D003513:Cycloheximide