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Published on: August 28, 2009
Study on changes of heme oxygenase-1 expression in patients with coronary heart disease
1Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical College, Shantou University, Shantou Guangdong, China. csm1002@126.com
Insights
Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein expression is elevated in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Higher HO-1 levels correlate with increased CHD severity, suggesting its role in the condition.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Cardiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Heme oxygenase (HO) is a key enzyme in heme metabolism, producing carbon monoxide (CO), bilirubin, and iron.
- Bilirubin, a product of HO activity, acts as an antioxidant and may protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury.
- Previous research indicates a negative correlation between Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) content and coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels of HO-1 in patients diagnosed with CHD.
- To determine if HO-1 levels differ based on the severity of coronary heart disease.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to assess HO-1 protein expression in monocytes and lymphocytes.
- Computerized image analysis systems quantified HO-1 protein levels.
- Study included patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina pectoris (UAP), stable angina pectoris (AP), and a control group with normal coronary arteries.
Main Results:
- HO-1 protein was localized to the cell plasma.
- Patients with CHD exhibited significantly higher HO-1 protein expression compared to controls (p < 0.01).
- HO-1 expression levels varied among CHD patient groups, with the highest in AMI, followed by UAP, and then AP.
Conclusions:
- HO-1 protein expression is significantly upregulated in patients with coronary heart disease.
- The levels of HO-1 protein expression are directly associated with the clinical severity of CHD.
Background:
Heme oxygenase (HO) is a rate-limiting enzyme of endogenetic carbon monoxide (CO) that degrades heme into carbon monoxide, bilirubin, and iron. These products have important physiologic effects: bilirubin is a potent antioxidant that can act against ischemia/reperfusion injury; there is a negative correlation between the content of HO-1 and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD).
Hypothesis:
This study was undertaken to investigate the changes of HO-1 in patients with CHD.
Methods:
Thirty-five patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), 40 patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP, diagnosed by coronary angiography), and 30 patients with stable angina pectoris (AP, diagnosed by coronary angiography) were selected for the study; another 30 patients with normal coronary artery (diagnosed by coronary angiography) were selected as controls. The levels of HO-1 protein expression in monocyte and lymphocyte in the subjects were tested by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Computer picture analyzing systems were also used to measure the levels of HO-1 protein expression.
Results:
Heme oxygenase-1 protein is located in cell plasma. The levels of HO-1 protein expression in patients with CHD were significantly higher than in those without CHD (p < 0.01). There were significant differences of HO-1 expression among the three groups of patients with CHD. The group with AMI was the highest, followed by the group with UAP and finally by the group with AP.
Conclusions:
There is a higher expression of HO-1 in patients with CHD. The levels of HO-1 protein are associated with the severity of CHD.
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