Expression of Heat Shock Proteins 70 in tobacco users

Abstract

Smoking is an important factor for developing various diseases and considered one of the most important public health problems. The mortality attributable to cigarette reaches almost six million a year, representing 10 thousand deaths per day. This mainly occurs the effects toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic caused by the use of cigarettes. In response to cigarette smoke products occurs apoptosis and necrosis of lung cells, generating oxidative stress, with consequent inflammatory process lead the tissue injury and dysfunction. This inflammation leads to constant aggression and changes of lung tissues through cumulative exposure to the cigarette smoke that increase of immune cells, and imbalance in cytokine production. Inside that process also occurs stimulation of Heat Shock Proteins 70 (HSP 70), depending on the stimulus has different functions, and can act within or outside the cell. In the extracellular environment, HSP70 stimulates the synthesis of other cells, proinflammatory cytokines which will act like chemotaxis and deleterious effects for lung tissue. So, the objective of this study is to assess the levels of HSP 70 in peripheral blood and its gene expression in smokers and compared with healthy controls. By means of the immunoenzymatic test (ELISA) and Real-time PCR. The mechanisms by which cigarette smoke stimulates the inflammatory process and developing pulmonary diseases such as COPD are not fully understood, therefore this study will contribute to understand this process and can allow the identification of risk factors in smokers. (AU)