Acute hypertension induces heat-shock protein 70 gene expression in rat aorta

Purification and identification of secreted oxidative stress-induced factors from vascular smooth muscle cells

Reactive oxygen species have been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and hypertension, in part by promoting vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth. We have previously shown that LY83583, a generator of O-(2), activated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2) with early (10 min) and late (2 h) peaks and stimulated VSMC growth. To investigate whether secreted oxidative stress-induced factors (termed SOXF) from VSMC were responsible for late ERK1/2 activation in response to LY83583, we purified putative SOXF proteins from conditioned medium (2 h of LY83583 exposure) by sequential chromatography based on activation of ERK1/2. Proteins identified by capillary chromatography, electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and data base searching included heat shock protein 90-alpha (HSP90-alpha) and cyclophilin B. Western blot analysis of conditioned medium showed specific secretion of HSP90-alpha but not HSP90-beta. Immunodepletion of HSP90-alpha from conditioned medium significantly inhibited conditioned medium-induced ERK1/2 activation. Human recombinant HSP90-alpha reproduced the effect of conditioned medium on ERK1/2 activation. These results show that brief oxidative stress causes sustained release of protein factors from VSMC that can stimulate ERK1/2. These factors may be important mediators for the effects of reactive oxygen species on vascular function.

Inducibility of the 70 kD heat shock protein in peripheral blood monocytes is decreased in human acute respiratory distress syndrome and recovers over time

The heat shock/stress proteins (HSP), and, in particular, the inducible, cytosolic Hsp70, represent an extremely conserved response to many different cellular injuries, including reactive oxygen species (ROS). Hsp70 has been shown to confer to cells and tissues protection against the deleterious effects of ROS or cytokines, both in vitro and in animal models of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We hypothesized that Hsp70 expression levels in peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) of patients with ARDS, would correlate with disease severity. We prospectively included 13 patients with previous ARDS (50 +/- 17 yr; range, 20 to 76 yr), nine ventilated patients with non-ARDS/ALI disease (45 +/- 20 yr; range, 19 to 76 yr), and 14 healthy volunteers (45 +/- 20 yr; range, 22 to 77 yr). PBM activation state was evaluated according to their membrane expression of CD16, and oxidative status according to plasma lipid peroxidation products. Both baseline expression and Hsp70 inducibility (after in vitro heat shock) were examined in PBM, using flow cytometric analysis. We found that basal expression of Hsp70 in PBM was similar for patients and control subjects, whereas Hsp70 inducibility- a reflection of the ability to mount a stress response-was significantly reduced in the patients with ARDS (p = 0. 02). Among all correlation analyses we considered between Hsp70 inducibility on the one hand, clinical and laboratory biomarkers for disease severity and outcome in the patients with ARDS on the other, only the duration of ventilatory support was significant (p < 0.003). As an approach to distinguish between disease and ventilation, we also analyzed a group of, ventilated patients without ARDS. Our results indicate that in patients with ARDS, Hsp70 inducibility in PBM is decreased, but it recovers over time with duration of ventilatory support.

Cyclic strain stress-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase 1 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells is regulated by Ras/Rac-MAPK pathways

Recently, we demonstrated that mechanical stress results in rapid phosphorylation or activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptors in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) followed by activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and AP-1 transcription factors (Hu, Y., Bock, G., Wick, G., and Xu, Q. (1998) FASEB J. 12, 1135-1142). Herein, we provide evidence that VSMC responses to mechanical stress also include induction of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), which may serve as a negative regulator of MAPK signaling pathways. When rat VSMCs cultivated on a flexible membrane were subjected to cyclic strain stress (60 cycles/min, 5-30% elongation), induction of MKP-1 proteins and mRNA was observed in time- and strength-dependent manners. Concomitantly, mechanical forces evoked rapid and transient activation of all three members of MAPKs, i.e. extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun NH(2)-terminal protein kinases (JNKs), or stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs), and p38 MAPKs. Suramin, a growth factor receptor antagonist, completely abolished ERK activation, significantly blocked MKP-1 expression, but not JNK/SAPK and p38 MAPK activation, in response to mechanical stress. Interestingly, VSMC lines stably expressing dominant negative Ras (Ras N17) or Rac (Rac N17) exhibited a marked decrease in MKP-1 expression; the inhibition of ERK kinases (MEK1/2) by PD 98059 or of p38 MAPKs by SB 202190 resulted in a down-regulation of MKP-1 induction. Furthermore, overexpressing MKP-1 in VSMCs led to the dephosphorylation and inactivation of ERKs, JNKs/SAPKs, and p38 MAPKs and inhibition of DNA synthesis. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that mechanical stress induces MKP-1 expression regulated by two signal pathways, including growth factor receptor-Ras-ERK and Rac-JNK/SAPK or p38 MAPK, and that MKP-1 inhibits VSMC proliferation via MAPK inactivation. These results suggest that MKP-1 plays a crucial role in mechanical stress-stimulated signaling leading to VSMC growth and differentiation.

Chamber-specific regulation of heme oxygenase-1 (heat shock protein 32) in right-sided congestive heart failure

Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is a stress protein (HSP 32) and, together with HO-2, catalyses oxidation of the heme molecule to generate carbon monoxide, a gas with vasodilatory properties, and bilirubin, an antioxidant. Right-sided heart failure (RHF) resulted in a two-fold increase in the HO-1 transcript (;1.8 kb) in the right ventricle (RV) of RHF dogs compared to that of controls. In contrast, the left ventricle showed no increase in HO-1 mRNA in RHF. The change in HO was unique to HO-1, because neither the HO-2 transcripts (;1.3 and 1.9 kb) nor the HSP 70 mRNA was altered in either ventricle. This increase in HO-1 mRNA in RV was accompanied by a two-fold increase in immunoreactive HO-1 protein, as judged by Western blot analysis, as well as by a significant increase in cGMP levels. There was, however, no significant increase in RV total nitric oxide synthase activity in RHF. Furthermore, since norepinephrine infusion also increased HO-1 transcript and protein levels, the HO-1 system probably was induced in RHF by the increased interstitial norepinephrine levels known to occur in failing myocardium. This differential regulation and induction of HO-1 gene in the failing ventricle might be one of the defense mechanisms by which the heart attempts to protect from stress caused by congestive heart failure.

Induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 by arachidonic acid in vascular smooth muscle cells

Arachidonic acid (AA) and its metabolites play important roles in a variety of biological processes, such as signal transduction, contraction, chemotaxis, and cell proliferation and differentiation. It was demonstrated recently that AA can activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), which are crucial for transducing signals initiating cell growth and apoptosis. Here we studied the effect of AA on the induction of MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and found that AA stimulated induction of MKP-1 mRNA and proteins in VSMCs in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Specific inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-, lipoxygenase-, and cytochrome P450-dependent metabolism did not affect AA-induced MKP-1 expression, indicating that eicosanoid biosynthesis was not involved in this process. The glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant, abolished AA-stimulated MKP-1 gene expression, whereas inhibition of protein kinase C by calphostin C had no influence on MKP-1 induction. VSMC pretreatment with genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, completely blocked AA-stimulated MKP-1 induction. MAPK kinase inhibitor PD 98059 did abolish AA-stimulated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases but not MKP-1 induction. Furthermore, agonists that increase AA release stimulated MKP-1 induction and activation of MAPKs, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases and c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinases or stress-activated protein kinases. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that AA induced MKP-1 expression in VSMCs via activation of tyrosine kinases involving AA-induced free radical generation, suggesting an important role for MKP-1 in the regulation of AA-initiated signal transduction in VSMCs.

Decline of shear stress-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases, but not stress-activated protein kinases, in in vitro propagated endothelial cells

We investigated the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathways in human endothelial cells in response to shear stress and alterations of these kinases in in vitro-propagated endothelial cells (ECs). Potent activation (10-fold) of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK2), a member of the MAPK family, occurred within 10 min of shear stress (5 dynes/cm2), whereupon rapid inactivation ensued. Shear stress also induced activation of stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) or c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK) in ECs. Suramin pretreatment completely inhibited shear stress stimulation of ERK2, but not SAPK/JNK, highlighting a role for growth factor receptors in ERK activation. Translocation of ERK2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus was observed in shear-stressed endothelial cells. In addition, we compared activities of MAPKs in shear-stressed cells derived from passages 4 and 10 (older). The magnitude of ERK2 activation was significantly lower in aged ECs compared to those of passage 4, while SAPK/JNK was not altered in the in vitro aged ECs. A similar level of ERK2 activation was found in both young and older cells stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), indicating an age-related alteration of the plasma membrane. Taken together, these findings suggest that MAP kinase activation may be crucial for the expression of many genes in ECs stimulated by shear stress, and that an alteration in MAPK activities could contribute to the age-related decline in proliferative capacity.

Activation of PDGF receptor alpha in vascular smooth muscle cells by mechanical stress

Hypertension increases mechanical force on the arterial wall by as much as 30%, resulting in marked alterations in signal transductions and gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) that contribute to matrix protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and differentiation. How the mechanical stimuli are converted into a biological signal in cells has yet to be studied. We investigated the role of both cyclic strain and shear stresses in initiating the cellular signaling on cultured VSMCs and found that mechanical forces evoked activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases, followed by enhanced DNA binding activity of transcription factor AP-1. Physical forces rapidly induced phosphorylation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) alpha, an activated state. When GRB2, an adapter protein, was immunoprecipitated from treated VSMCs followed by Western blot analysis with anti-phosphotyrosine, -PDGFR alpha, and -GRB2 antibodies, respectively, phosphotyrosine positive staining was observed on PDGFR alpha bands of the same blot in stretch-stressed VSMCs, supporting the mechanical stress-induced activation of PDGFR alpha. Conditioned medium from stretch-stressed VSMCs did not result in PDGFR alpha phosphorylation, and antibodies binding to all forms of PDGFs did not block stress-induced PDGFR alpha activation. Thus, mechanical stresses may directly perturb the cell surface or alter receptor conformation, thereby initiating signaling pathways normally used by growth factors.

Comparison of angiography and intravascular ultrasound for the assessment of lumen size after coronary stent placement: impact of dilation pressures

This study was designed to assess the extent of potential discrepancies between intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) measurement of intrastent minimal luminal diameter and to evaluate the impact of dilation pressures and the balloon:artery ratio on the assessment of the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) by these imaging modalities. IVUS is recommended as an adjunct to angiography to assess stent expansion; however, the extent of potential discrepancies between the two imaging modalities is not well defined. Included were 225 patients in whom coronary Palmaz-Schatz stents were successfully placed after PTCA. IVUS and QCA were performed at the end of the intervention. We compared the MLD assessed by QCA and IVUS in the instent and reference site. The MLD assessed by IVUS and QCA were 2.68 +/- 0.41 mm and 3.08 +/- 0.47 mm (P < 0.001), respectively, at the tightest intrastent site and 3.19 +/- 0.50 mm and 3.17 +/- 0.52 ns at the reference site. There was a correlation between the dilation pressure and the difference between QCA- and IVUS-based intrastent MLD measurement (y = -0.05x + 1.11; r = -0.53; P < 0.0001). At low dilation pressures, a significant difference between the image modalities was found, but after high dilation pressures no discrepancies were detected. No relation was found with the balloon:artery ratio. These data provide clear evidence that in the case of low-pressure dilation, the exclusive reliance on data obtained by QCA will not yield sufficiently accurate information on intrastent MLD, whereas after high dilation pressure, the differences between the imaging modalities are minimized.

Nitric oxide induces heat-shock protein 70 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells via activation of heat shock factor 1

Current data suggest that nitric oxide (NO) is a double-edged sword that could result in relaxation and/or cytotoxicity of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) via cGMP- dependent or -independent signal pathways. Stress or heat shock proteins (hsps) have been shown to be augmented in arterial SMCs during acute hypertension and atherosclerosis, both conditions that are believed to correlate with disturbed NO production. In the present study, we demonstrate that NO generated from sodium nitroprusside (SNP), S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, and spermine/nitric oxide complex leads to hsp70 induction in cultured SMCs. Western blot analysis demonstrated that hsp70 protein expression peaked between 6 and 12 h after treatment with SNP, and elevated protein levels were preceded by induction of hsp70 mRNA within 3 h. Induction of hsp70 mRNA was associated with the activation of heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1), suggesting that the response was regulated at the transcriptional level. HSF1 activation was completely blocked by hemoglobin, dithiothreitol, and cycloheximide, suggesting that the protein damage and nascent polypeptide formation induced by NO may initiate this activation. Furthermore, SMCs pretreated with heat shock (42 degrees C) for 30 min were significantly protected from death induced by NO. Thus, we provide evidence that NO induces hsp70 expression in SMCs via HSF1 activation. Induction of hsp70 could be important in protecting SMCs from injury resulting from NO stimulation.

Muscle fibre stress in response to exercise: synthesis, accumulation and isoform transitions of 70-kDa heat-shock proteins

Heat-shock or stress proteins (HSPs) are considered to play an essential role in protecting cells from stress and preparing them to survive new environmental challenges. This study investigates the induction kinetics of synthesis and accumulation of 70-kDa stress proteins in the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of the rat following exercise, as well as the isoform transitions that take place during the post-exercise period. Relative synthesis rates (referred to constitutively expressed stress protein HSP73) of the 70-kDa heat-shock proteins were greatly enhanced after a single bout of exercise in both muscles. They peaked early in the post-exercise period and returned to resting levels after approximately 5-6 h. The levels of the inducible stress protein HSP72 in the EDL rose only transiently following exercise, while its accumulation in the soleus was more continuous and stable. The amount of HSP73 increased only transiently in both muscle types after exercise. The constitutive expression of the stress protein HSP72 in the soleus muscle was much higher than in the EDL and other tissues, while that of HSP73 was relatively constant among tissues. Rat skeletal muscle HSP72 and HSP73 were made up of at least three isoforms of the same molecular mass and very close isoelectric points, although only one radiolabelled isoform was detected. The relative proportion of the most abundant isoforms of HSP72, isoforms 1 and 2, as well as their ratio (isoform 2/isoform 1), increased during the post-exercise period. Since isoform 2 of HSP72 partially disappeared after incubating soleus muscle extracts of exercised rats with alkaline phosphatase, these data indicate that phosphorylation of HSP72 is an early event in the stress response of skeletal muscle to exercise stress.

Stress proteins and atherosclerosis

Several cytotoxic stimuli of a different nature are involved in the complex etiology of atherosclerosis. Cells of the vasculature may potentially cope with the presence of these stressors through the increased synthesis of stress proteins (or heat shock proteins, hsps), an ubiquitous and conserved defense response. Evidence exists that the expression of two stress proteins of intermediate molecular weight, hsp60 and hsp70, is higher at sites of atherosclerotic lesions than it is in normal tissue. The role of hsps in atherosclerosis is controversial. While hsp70 is likely to be involved in cytoprotection, hsp60 is probably acting as an autoantigen, and may trigger both cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses.

Delayed protection of the ischemic heart--from pathophysiology to therapeutic applications

Preconditioning the heart with brief episodes of ischemia paradoxically increases its resistance to subsequent ischemic episodes, and markedly limits infarct size. Although preconditioning is now considered as the most powerful antiischemic intervention known, its beneficial effects are short-lived since they are lost if the reperfusion period after preconditioning is extended past 2-3 h. There is, however, some evidence of a delayed phase of protection, manifest 24 h after the initial preconditioning stimulus, associated with a decrease in infarct size, a prevention of postischemic contractile dysfunction (stunning) and a reduction in endothelial injury. The delayed beneficial effects of preconditioning resemble those induced by prior heat stress, and might be related to the expression of stress proteins (heat shock proteins or HSP). Evidence for a role of HSP derives from observations showing that brief ischemia is a potent stimulus for HSP expression. Moreover, transfection of isolated cells with HSP or overexpression of HSP in transgenic mice renders the myocytes more resistant to ischemia. Once produced, HSP are believed to facilitate protein synthesis, stabilize newly formed proteins and repair denatured ones. Alternatively, delayed preconditioning may be mediated by antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase or catalase, which are also upregulated by ischemia and this could lead to a lesser production of oxygen-derived free radicals during reperfusion. Indeed, in isolated myocytes, prevention of hypoxia-induced expression of superoxide dismutase (using an antisense oligonucleotide) abolished the delayed protective effect of preconditioning. Importantly, recent in vivo evidence suggests that the delayed protection may be mediated by adenosine, through activation of A1-receptors, and by stimulation of protein kinase C. Finally, although the exact mechanisms by which preconditioning induces delayed protection are still mostly unknown, the fact that the expression of protective proteins such as HSP can be induced by many other means than ischemia suggests that it is possible to pharmacologically stimulate this expression and thus possibly mimic the endogenous protective pathway. This could lead to the development of new pharmacological interventions which induce delayed myocardial protection in clinical situations such as angioplasty, coronary bypass surgery or even in patients at high risk of infarction.

The role of heat shock proteins in protection and pathophysiology of the arterial wall

The arterial wall is an integrated functional component of the circulatory system that is continually remodelling in response to various stressors, including localized injury, toxins, smoking and hypercholesterolaemia. These stimuli directly or indirectly cause changes in blood pressure and damage to the vessel wall, and eventually induce arterial stiffness and obstruction. To maintain the homeostasis of the vessel wall, the vascular cells produce a high level of stress proteins, also known as heat shock proteins, which protect against damage during haemodynamic stress. However, an immune reaction to heat shock proteins might contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. We hypothesize that the induction of heat shock proteins is beneficial in the arterial wall's response to stress but is harmful in certain other circumstances.

Induction of heat shock protein in cardiac allograft rejection--a cyclosporine-suppressible response

The cellular response to a wide variety of stresses results in the synthesis of a family of proteins termed heat shock proteins (HSPs). To determine if acute allograft rejection could induce these proteins in a transplanted graft, we examined the HSP response to acute cardiac allograft rejection and analyzed the effect of immunosuppression upon this response. Donor hearts obtained from either Lewis (LEW) or ACI rats were heterotopically transplanted in recipient LEW rats. There were 4 experimental groups: untreated isografted (LEW to LEW) animals (n = 14), untreated allografted (ACI to LEW) animals (n = 14), cyclosporine-treated (10 mg/kg SQ/day) isografted animals (n = 12), and cyclosporine-treated allografted animals (n = 12). Animals were sacrificed on posttransplantation day 2, 4, or 6 (time of rejection for untreated allografts); n = 4-5 for each time point per group. At these times tissue obtained from the transplanted heart was examined histologically and analyzed for HSP72 by quantitative Northern and Western blots. The level of HSP72 in the untreated allografts progressively increased between 2, 4, and 6 days posttransplantation and was significantly greater than that of the untreated isografts at all time points. The HSP72 response in cyclosporine-treated allografts was significantly reduced at 4 and 6 days posttransplantation compared with the untreated allografts. In contrast, there was no difference in the HSP response in treated versus untreated isografts. Additionally, there was no difference in HSP levels in cyclosporine-treated isografts and allografts. These findings demonstrate that HSP expression in the transplanted heart correlates directly with the evolution of acute allograft rejection, and that immunosuppressive therapy inhibits the HSP response. These studies also raise the possibility of a functional role for HSPs in the allogeneic immune response.

Acute hypertension activates mitogen-activated protein kinases in arterial wall

Mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases are rapidly activated in cells stimulated with various extracellular signals by dual phosphorylation of tyrosine and threonine residues. They are thought to play a pivotal role in transmitting transmembrane signals required for cell growth and differentiation. Herein we provide evidence that two distinct classes of MAP kinases, the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK), are transiently activated in rat arteries (aorta, carotid and femoral arteries) in response to an acute elevation in blood pressure induced by either restraint or administration of hypertensive agents (i.e., phenylephrine and angiotensin II). Kinase activation is followed by an increase in c-fos and c-jun gene expression and enhanced activating protein 1 (AP-1) DNA-binding activity. Activation of ERK and JNK could contribute to smooth muscle cell hypertrophy/hyperplasia during arterial remodeling due to frequent and/or persistent elevations in blood pressure.