Association between plasma levels of heat shock protein 60 and cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
Evidence is accumulating to support the hypothesis that the release of heat shock protein (Hsp)60 into the circulation is associated with the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). As diabetes is a risk factor for CHD, it was of interest to determine Hsp60 blood levels in a cross-sectional cohort of diabetic patients, some of whom had cardiovascular disease, and relate levels to relevant biochemical markers.


RESULTS
A total of 855 patients with T1DM or T2DM, recruited as part of the UCL Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease Study (UDACS), were assayed for plasma levels of Hsp60. Immunoreactive Hsp60 was detected in 54% of the samples, with 26% having plasma levels > 1 microg/mL. Levels of Hsp60 were higher in Caucasians than in other ethnic groupings, with 56.5% of Caucasian subjects, 37.5% of African-Caribbean subjects, and 47.1% of Indian subjects having detectable levels (P = 0.007), and with a higher proportion of non-smokers having detectable Hsp60 levels than smokers (54.9 vs. 43.5%, P = 0.01). Of note was the finding of an association between higher mean plasma levels of Hsp60 in subjects with clinically manifest cardiovascular disease and those with a history of myocardial infarction having an adjusted odds ratio of having detectable Hsp60 of 2.17 (CI 1.26-3.73).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first report of circulating Hsp60 levels in diabetic patients, which suggests that this secreted mitochondrial cell stress protein may be playing an unexpected role in the cardiovascular pathology associated with diabetes.
Shamaei-Tousi
Alireza
A
Division of Microbial Diseases, UCL Eastman Dental Institute, University College London, 256 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8LD, UK.
Stephens
Jeffrey W
JW
Bin
Ren
R
Cooper
Jacqueline A
JA
Steptoe
Andrew
A
Coates
Anthony R M
AR
Henderson
Brian
B
Humphries
Steve E
SE
D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology
D000975:Antioxidants; D018834:Chaperonin 60