Chlamydia heat shock protein 60 decreases expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in human and porcine coronary artery endothelial cells.
OBJECTIVE
Clinically, Chlamydia pneumoniae infection and its heat shock protein 60 (cHSP60) may contribute to atherogenesis; however, its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether cHSP60 could cause endothelial dysfunction in human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) and porcine coronary arteries.


RESULTS
When HCAECs were treated with recombinant cHSP60, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) mRNA and protein levels, enzyme activities, cellular NO levels, mRNA stability, and promoter activities were significantly decreased. Superoxide anion production was significantly increased due to the inhibition of mitochondrial membrane potential and catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities as well as activation of NADPH oxidase. Antioxidant seleno-l-methionine (SeMet) or SOD mimetic MnTBAP effectively blocked cHSP60-induced eNOS downregulation. In addition, cHSP60 activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) including p38, c-Jun-N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases. Specific chemical inhibitors or their dominant-negative mutant forms of these MAPKs effectively blocked cHSP60-induced eNOS downregulation. cHSP60-induced eNOS downregulation and oxidative stress were also demonstrated in porcine coronary artery rings in vitro. Functionally, endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation was significantly reduced in cHSP60-treated vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
cHSP60 directly induces eNOS downregulation through oxidative stress and MAPK activation in both HCAECs and porcine coronary arteries, thereby causing endothelial dysfunction.
Chen
Changyi
C
Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Molecular Surgeon Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jchen@bcm.tmc.edu
Chai
Hong
H
Wang
Xinwen
X
Lin
Peter H
PH
Yao
Qizhi
Q
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000633:toxicity*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000633:toxicity*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020871:RNA Stability / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000633:toxicity; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D034421:Sus scrofa; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C495342:TLR2 protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D013481:Superoxides; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III