INDUCTION OF THE ANTIOXIDANT STRESS PROTEINS HEME OXYGENASE-1 AND MSP23 BY STRESS AGENTS AND OXIDIZED LDL IN CULTURED VASCULAR SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS

Enhanced expression of the antioxidant stress proteins heme oxygenase- 1 (HO-1) and macrophage stress protein (MSP23) by oxidative stress age nts and oxidatively modified low density lipoproteins (LDL) was invest igated in cultured porcine aortic smooth muscle cells, Treatment of sm ooth muscle cells with glucose oxidase, CdCl2 or diethylmaleate result ed in a time-dependent (6-48 h) induction of HO-1 and MSP23 expression , Exposure of cells to 100 mu g protein/ml highly oxidised LDL increas ed the expression of HO-1 and MSP23 within 24 h, and the induction was dependent on the degree of LDL oxidation, The induction of HO-1 and M SP23 may thus play an important cytoprotective role against oxidative stress in atherogenesis.