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The Chaperone Protein Hsp90 is Upregulated in Human Pulmonary Hypertension
Author(s) -
Ruffenach Gregoire,
Le Guen Marie,
Chabot Sophie,
BreuilsBonnet Sandra,
Tremblay Eve,
Provencher Steeve,
Bonnet Sebastien
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.662.21
Subject(s) - downregulation and upregulation , nfat , stat3 , hsp90 , transcription factor , cancer research , hsp90 inhibitor , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , heat shock protein , signal transduction , biochemistry , gene
Human and animal pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by a selective activation of several transcription factors including STAT3, NFAT and HIF‐1α, which regulates pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMC) proliferation and apoptosis. The activation mechanisms of these factors in PAH remain elusive. Hsp90 is a major molecular chaperone that is plays a pivotal role in assisting correct folding and functionality of its client proteins. The Hsp90 client proteins include a wide variety of transcription factors like NFAT, STAT3 and HIF‐1α. Recent evidences have shown that miR‐223 may regulates HsP90 expression in cancer, which share many similarities with PAH. We thus hypothesized that the miR‐223/Hsp90 axis is aberrantly expressed in PAH patients, contributing to PAH‐PASMC phenotype.METHODS and RESULTS Using immunoblot, we showed that Hsp90 is upregulated in lungs, and PASMC of PAH patients compared to non‐PAH donors. This upregulation in Hsp90 is associated with a significant downregulation of miR223 in PAH; upregulation of HIF‐1α, NFAT and STAT3 activation measured by immunoblot and nuclear translocation assay. In primary cultured PASMC from 3 PAH and 3 control patients, we demonstrated that miR‐223 upregulation using mimic or Hsp90 molecular inhibition using siRNAs significantly reduces PAH‐PASMC proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. Finally, using monocrotaline‐induced PAH, we showed that miR223 nebulization decreases total pulmonary resistance by decreasing distal PA wall thickness. CONCLUSION The miR223/Hsp90 may represent a new signal hub in PAH, accounting for the activation of several transcription factors contributing to PAH‐PASMC phenotype and thus vascular remolding seen in PAH.