Heat shock protein 70 and antibodies to heat shock protein 60 are associated with cerebrovascular atherosclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are produced by all cells, including vascular, to ensure stress protection. Damaged cells release Hsps in their local environment and systemic circulation. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement and prognostic utility of serum Hsp60 and Hsp70, and the respective antibodies anti-Hsp60 and anti-Hsp70 in subjects with advanced atherosclerosis resulting in high degree of cerebrovascular stenosis.


METHODS
Ultrasound Doppler examination of carotid arteries was used to discriminate between control and cerebrovascular atherosclerosis subjects. Twenty eight subjects without carotid obstruction were selected as controls. Fifty patients with obstruction of cerebrovascular blood flow were evaluated for the degree of stenosis of cerebral arteries by digital subtraction angiography. In parallel, serum concentrations of Hsp60, Hsp70, anti-Hsp60 and anti-Hsp70 were measured by ELISA kits.


RESULTS
Anti-Hsp60 was significantly higher (P=0.003) in the atherosclerosis group than in the control group (23.62ng/L vs. 15.28ng/L, respectively, expressed as median). Circulating Hsp70 was lower in the atherosclerosis than in the control group (P=0.048), with respective median values of 0.00μg/L vs. 0.22μg/L. Concentrations of Hsp60 and anti-Hsp70 did not differ significantly between the control and atherosclerosis group.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher circulating anti-Hsp60 is associated with advanced cerebrovascular atherosclerosis as a consequence of the autoimmunity part of the inflammation and bursting of atherosclerosis. Higher levels of Hsp70 observed in the control group could be protective in the development of atherosclerotic changes.
University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Clinical Department of Laboratory Diagnostics, Kišpatićeva 12, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: rgalovic@kbc-zagreb.hr.
Ružica
R
Galović
University Hospital Merkur, Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Zajceva 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Zlata
Z
Flegar-Meštrić
University Hospital Merkur, Institute of Radiology, Zajceva 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Vinko
V
Vidjak
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Dept. of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Domagojeva 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Mirela
M
Matokanović
University of Zagreb, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Dept. of Medical Biochemistry and Hematology, Domagojeva 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Karmela
K
Barišić
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
D001323:Autoantibodies; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
Antibodies; Atherosclerosis; Cerebrovascular stenosis; Heat shock proteins