15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) protects pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells against apoptosis via HSP90

Abstract Aims 15-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE), generated by hypoxia, is a product of arachidonic acid and mainly catalyzed by 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) in pulmonary artery. As HSP90 is known to be involved in apoptosis in other tissues and cells, we aim to test whether anti-apoptotic effect of 15-HETE is regulated by the molecular chaperone in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Main methods To test this hypothesis, we performed cell viability analysis, mitochondrial potential assay, caspase-3 activity measurement, Western blot, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling with and without HSP90 inhibitor. Key findings Our results showed that both exogenous and endogenous 15-HETE up-regulated HSP90 expression and prevented PASMC from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. Serum deprivation lead to mitochondrial membrane depolarization, decreased expression of Bcl-2 and enhanced expression of Bax, and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in PASMCs. 15-HETE reversed all these effects in a HSP90-dependent manner. Significance This study establishes the factor involved in 15-HETE-protecting PASMC from apoptosis and the regulation of HSP90 by 15-HETE may be an important mechanism underlying the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension and provide a novel therapeutic target in future.