Reactive oxygen species regulate heat-shock protein 70 via the JAK/STAT pathway

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activate intracellular signal transduction pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. H2O2 is a mitogen for rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and protein tyrosine phosphorylation is a critical event in VSMC mitogenesis. Therefore, we investigated whether the mitogenic effects of H2O2, such as stimulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)2, are mediated via activation of cytoplasmic Janus tyrosine kinases (JAKs). JAK2 was activated rapidly in VSMCs treated with H2O2, and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) STAT1 and STAT3 were tyrosine-phosphorylated and translocated to the nucleus in a JAK2-dependent manner. Inhibition of JAK2 activity with AG-490 partially inhibited H2O2-induced ERK2 activity, suggesting that JAK2 is upstream of the Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase-ERK/ERK mitogenic pathway. Because heat-shock proteins (HSPs) can protect cells from ROS, we investigated the effect of H2O2 on HSP expression. H2O2 stimulated HSP70 expression in a time-dependent manner, and AG-490 abolished H2O2-induced HSP70 expression. H2O2 activated the HSP70 promoter via enhanced binding of STATs to cognate binding sites in the promoter. Regulation of chaperones such as HSP70 via activation of the JAK/STAT pathway suggests that in addition to its growth-promoting effects, this pathway may help VSMCs adapt to oxidative stress.