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Heat shock protein 70-1 gene expression in pediatric heart surgery using blood cardioplegia
Simona Vittorini1, Simona Storti, Giovanna Andreani
1Molecular Cardiology and Genetics Laboratory, National Research Council, Institute of Clinical Physiology, G. Pasquinucci Hospital, Massa, Italy.
Background:
In response to many stress stimuli, cardiomyocytes produce a common set of heat shock proteins (HSP). Up-regulation of HSP70-1 (the inducible isoform) is known to reduce the risk of myocardial cell damage during open-heart surgery and seems to be protective against ischemia. We assessed hsp70-1 gene expression during blood cardioplegic arrest in children undergoing surgical correction of congenital heart defects.
Methods:
In tissue samples taken from the right atrium of 59 pediatric patients, we examined hsp70-1 gene expression using a real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR, with 18S rRNA as internal standard.
Results:
On average, hsp70-1 gene expression was higher than the baseline level by a factor of 1.44+/- 0.17 (mean+/-SEM). A significant relationship between hsp70-1 mRNA levels and aortic cross-clamp time was observed (R(2)=0.069, p=0.044). Conversely, no significant correlation was observed between hsp70-1 mRNA levels and temperature.
Conclusions:
These data suggest that blood cardioplegia can induce an increment in the expression of hsp70-1, confirming its protective role in ischemia/reperfusion injury.
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