Impairment of vascular function following BCG immunisation is associated with immune responses to HSP-60 in the cholesterol-fed rabbit.
An immune response to heat shock protein (HSP)-60/65 has recently been implicated in atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether this effect may be mediated by impairment of endothelial function. Rabbits were injected with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine (n=12) or saline (n=12). A further injection of BCG or saline was administered after 2 weeks. After a further 2 weeks, animals were fed either a 0.25-1% cholesterol diet or a chow diet for 16 weeks. Blood cholesterol levels were maintained at 10-12mmol/l by altering the dietary cholesterol content. Plasma levels of anti-mycobacterial antibodies rose following BCG immunisation, but anti-HSP antibodies developed only in the BCG-immunised, cholesterol-fed rabbits. Aortic endothelium from cholesterol-fed, but not chow-fed, rabbits stained positively for HSP-60, independently of the immunisation protocol. Endothelial function was impaired in the BCG immunised, cholesterol-fed rabbits as measured by acetylcholine-mediated relaxation of isolated non-atherosclerotic carotid artery rings (P<0.05). This impairment was positively associated with the level of plasma anti-HSP-60 antibodies (P<0.01). These results suggest that BCG immunisation impairs endothelial responses, at least in part, by immune responses against mycobacterial and vascular HSP.
Lamb
David J
DJ
Centre for Clinical Science and Measurement, School of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK.
Tickner
Michelle L
ML
Dreux
Alys C
AC
El-Sankary
Wafaa
W
Hourani
Susanna M O
SM
Eales-Reynolds
Lesley-Jane
LJ
Ferns
Gordon A A
GA
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001011:Aorta / Q000276:immunology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000276:immunology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000276:immunology*; D007114:Immunization; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011817:Rabbits
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D002784:Cholesterol