Balloon angioplasty induces heat shock protein 70 in human blood vessels

Balloon angioplasty produces a mechanically induced injury to the blood ves sel wall. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a molecular chaperone whose expr ession can be induced by chemical or thermal stress. Thus, we hypothesized that the mechanical injury associated with balloon angioplasty would lead t o increases in the expression of HSP70 in vascular smooth muscle. Segments of popliteal and trifucation vessels from above-the-knee amputations were s ubject to transluminal balloon angioplasty, excised, and placed in organ cu ltures. Neighboring vessel that was not subjected to balloon angioplasty se rved as controls. Some vessels were treated with sodium arsenite (positive control, known to induce HSP70 expression). The vessels were homogenized an d the proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis and transferred to Imm obilon. Western blots with an antibody specific for the inducible form of H SP70 were analyzed by densitometry. Our results showed that HSP70 expressio n can be induced by the mechanical injury associated with balloon angioplas ty in human atherosclerotic vessels.