Inhibition of specific over-expression of heat shock protein 27 in heart for doxorubicin-induced myocardial apoptosis in transgenic mice model

Objective To determine the effects of heat shock protein 27(Hsp27)on the myocardial apoptosis induced by doxorubicin(Dox)in transgenic(TG)mice model.Methods Wild type(WT)and TG mice of cardiac specific over-expression Hsp27 were treated with Dox 25 mg/kg or saline.Three days later,the myocardial apoptosis by TUNEL stain and the expression of inducible heat shock proteins(iHsps)were detected and compared between each group.Results Specific over-expression of Hsp27 in heart was found in TG.Apoptosis significantly increased in Dox-treated groups compared with their control groups(P 0.01)and apoptosis induced by Dox was inhibited in TG compared with WT [(5.22±0.60)‰ vs(10.67±2.41)‰,P 0.01].The expressions of Hsp70 and heme oxygenases-1(HO-1)were enhanced by Dox and much more promoted in TG than in WT(Hsp70:1.793±0.237 vs 1.013±0.14,P 0.01;HO-1:6.884±1.104 vs 4.385±0.463,P 0.05),but αBC displayed no difference between the groups.Conclusions Specific over-expression of Hsp27 in heart can protect myocardial apoptosis induced by Dox in transgenic mice model.