HO-1 and VGEF gene expression in human arteries with advanced atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Both heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been shown to be involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. The relationship between HO-1 and VEGF gene expression and their proteins in endothelial cells from human atherosclerotic arterial specimens was investigated.


METHODS
The study included seventeen human arterial specimens with early and six specimens with advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Ten specimens were obtained from healthy young adults undergoing arterial reconstruction for trauma and were considered as non-atherosclerotic control. HO-1 and VEGF expressions as well as HO activity and VEGF protein content were measured in isolated endothelial cells (ECs).


RESULTS
HO-1 expression and activity (5.3+/-2.1 nmol bilirubin/mg protein/h) were only present in ECs from advanced atherosclerotic lesions. VEGF expression was more strongly expressed in ECs from advanced lesion compared with early lesions and was absent in healthy arteries. VEGF protein (1.35+/-0.69 ng/mg) was only detected in advanced lesions. A significant positive correlation (r=0.9, p<0.01) exists between HO activity and VEGF protein content in ECs of advanced lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that HO-1 expression and activity in ECs are present only in advanced atherosclerosis whereas, VEGF expression is present in early as well as in advanced atherosclerosis and the degree of its expression increases with severity of atherosclerosis. This study suggests an association between HO activity and VEGF protein in human ECs from advanced atherosclerotic lesions.
Morsi
Wael G
WG
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.
Shaker
Olfat G
OG
Ismail
Emad F
EF
Ahmed
Hanan H
HH
El-Serafi
Taher I
TI
Maklady
Fathy A
FA
Abdel-Aziz
Mohamed T
MT
El-Asmar
Mohammed F
MF
Atta
Hussein M
HM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1