Overexpression of HSP27 in cultured human aortic smooth muscular cells reduces apoptosis induced by low-frequency and low-energy ultrasound by inhibition of an intrinsic pathway.

We investigated in vitro the effect of low-frequency and low-energy ultrasound (LFLEU) on apoptosis of an overexpressed HSP27 human aortic smooth muscle cell (HASMC) line. A frequency of 42.6 kHz was used in all experiments. HASMC were exposed to ultrasound and cell viability was evaluated by MTT reduction. Overexpressed HSP27-HASMC was constructed on a pcDNA3.1 vector. Apoptosis was determined 24 h after treatment by flow cytometry; gene display was evaluated with Affimax chips, and HSP27 mRNA and protein expression levels were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The apoptosis rate (at 30 s) was significantly lower in