title: Ultrasound up-regulates expression of heme oxygenase-1 gene in endothelial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We found heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene up-regulation in response to ultrasound stimulation in endothelial cells. This project was started to explore the mechanism since it could be applied clinically.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative real-time PCR experiments were conducted to determine the appropriate condition to up-regulate HO-1 gene expression. A promoter assay experiment and a microarray analysis were done to analyze signal transduction pathways to be activated in endothelial cells by ultrasound stimulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately, 33-fold up-regulation of HO-1 mRNA was observed when endothelial cells were exposed to 1-MHz ultrasound at 0.3 W/cm(2) and DF 10 % for 20 s. Data obtained from promoter analysis and microarray analysis suggested that the Nrf2/StRE signal pathway was involved in the up-regulation. In addition, ultrasound stimulation to endothelial cells changed its gene expression profile so that it could modify the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and vasodilatory activities in addition to pro-angiogenic and vascular reconstitution activities of endothelial cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was suggested that ultrasound stimulation of endothelial cells up-regulated HO-1 expression through intracellular oxidative stress, which subsequently changed the gene expression pattern so that it could modify vascular functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan. ogawa@med.u-toyama.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ryohei
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morii
mesh_terms: D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014463:Ultrasonography; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1
keywords: Endothelial cells; Heme oxygenase-1; Microarray; Ultrasound