Concomitant alterations in distribution of 70 kDa heat shock proteins, cytoskeleton and organelles in heat shocked 9L cells

Maintenance of cell architecture and positioning of organelles are major functions of the cytoskeleton. On the other hand, induction of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and reorganization of the cytoskeleton are the most significant changes in heat-shocked mammalian cells. We examine the alterations in HSP70 and its constitutively expressed cognate, HSC70, as well as the cytoskeleton and organelles in 9L rat brain tumor cells upon heat shock. We employed fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to follow these changes. Levels of HSP70s were quantified by Western blotting. Accumulation of HSC70 was more transient and the protein translocated to and subsequently exited from the nucleus more rapidly than HSP70. Changes in actin microfilaments include the nuclear localization of actin fraction and disappearance of cytoplasmic microfilament bundles, while the cortical actin microfilaments were almost unaffected. Furthermore, microtubules retracted slightly from the cell periphery but remained largely unchanged. In contrast, the intermediate filaments collapsed into the perinuclear region. The mitochondria converted from filamentous into granular forms and clustered in a region overlapping with the collapsed intermediate filaments. All of the above alterations are reversible and largely reverted after 8 h of recovery. The effect on Golgi organization was very transient and the apparatus assumed a normal appearance within 4 h after the heat treatment. The ER, on the other hand, was totally unaffected by the heat treatment. These observations help correlate the sequential events following a stress like heat shock and suggest possible physiological functions of these essential constituents of a cell under stress.     

Localization of pNT22 70 kDa heat shock cognate-like protein in the plasma membrane

Spauligodon timbavatiensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) from the large intestine of Pachydactylus turneri (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in the Northern Province (RSA) is described and illustrated. It is the fifth species in the Ethiopian region, the others being Spauligodon smithi from Pachydactylus bibronii and Spauligodon petersi from Mabuya sulcata, both in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa, Spauligodon morgani from Mabuya striata in Malawi, and Spauligodon dimorpha from Chamaeleo pardalis in Madagascar. The males of the new species differ from S. smithi in that the adcloacal papillae are single (bifid in S. smithi), from S. petersi in the presence of a spicule and having narrow lateral alae (wide and triangular in S. petersi) and from S. dimorpha and S. morgani in having a spicule. Furthermore, S. timbavatiensis differs from S. morgani in lacking spines on the tail. The females of the new species have a long tail and truncated egg ends as opposed to the short, spiky tail and pointed eggs of S. morgani, a spiny tail and truncated eggs as opposed to the smooth tail and pointed eggs of S. petersi and a longer oesophagus than S. smithi. Furthermore, the females of S. dimorpha and S. morgani are much larger than those of S. timbavatiensis. In addition, the excretory pore opens behind the posterior end of the oesophageal bulb in the new species, while in S. smithi and S. dimorpha it opens at the level of the end of the oesophageal bulb.     

Mammalian protein RAP46: an interaction partner and modulator of 70 kDa heat shock proteins

A ubiquitously expressed nuclear receptor-associating protein of approximately 46 kDa (RAP46) was identified recently. Interaction experiments with in vitro-translated proteins and proteins contained in cell extracts revealed that a great variety of cellular regulators associate with RAP46. However, in direct interaction tests by the far-Western technique, only 70 kDa proteins showed up and were identified as members of the 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) family. Interaction is specific since not all members of the hsp70 family bind to RAP46; interaction occurs through their ATP-binding domain. RAP46 forms complexes with hsp70 in mammalian cells and interacts with hsp70 in the yeast two-hybrid system. Consistent with the fact that hsp70 can bind a multitude of proteins, we identified heteromeric complexes of RAP46-hsp70 with some selected proteins, most notably c-Jun. Complex formation is increased significantly by pre-treatment with alkaline phosphatase, thus suggesting modulation of interactions by protein phosphorylation. We observed that RAP46 interferes with efficient refolding of thermally denatured luciferase. Moreover, ATP-dependent binding of misfolded proteins to hsp70 was greatly inhibited by RAP46. These data suggest that RAP46 functions as a regulator of hsp70 in higher eukaryotes.     

The protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid induces heat shock protein expression and neurodegeneration in rat hippocampus in vivo

Although epidemiologic studies proved that a causal relationship exists between elevated serum cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease, it is only recently that cholesterol-lowering strategies have shown significant reductions in total mortality. In the last few years, three landmark coronary artery disease-reduction trials with HMG-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) showed significant reductions in coronary heart disease and mortality. Statins have beneficial effects on coronary heart disease and overall mortality in primary and secondary prevention, including in women and the elderly. Angiographic studies reveal the potential mechanisms through which statins exert their clinical benefits.     

Effect of acute heat stress on heat shock protein 70 messenger RNA and on heat shock protein expression in the liver of broilers

1. The synthesis of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) mRNA and the expression of Hsp70 in the liver of broiler chickens submitted to acute heat stress (35 degrees C for 5 h) was investigated. 2. Hsp70 expression was detected by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antiserum against Hsp70 of Blastocladiella emersonii. The specific signal of Hsp70 mRNA was analysed by Northern blot using as probe a Hsp70 cDNA of B. emersonii. 3. An increase in the amount of Hsp70 was detected from the first up to the fifth hour of acute heat exposure. This increase in the amount of Hsp70 was accompanied by an increase in Hsp70 mRNA which peaked at 3 h. 4. This study shows that the heat induced increase in Hsp70 mRNA and protein in broiler liver, in vivo, are time dependent, similar to that in mammals.     

Pressure-induced expression of heat shock protein 70 mRNA in adult rat heart is coupled both to protein kinase A-dependent and protein kinase C-dependent systems

BACKGROUND: Production of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the heart is induced by hemodynamic stress, but its intracellular signal transduction system has not been elucidated well. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the hypothesis that protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent and protein kinase C (PKC)dependent systems are involved in the pressure-induced expression of HSP70 mRNA in perfused adult rat heart METHODS: Isolated tetrodotoxin-arrested Sprague-Dawley rat hearts were perfused as Langendorff preparations at a constant aortic pressure of 60 mmHg. Aortic pressure in rats of the pressure-overloaded group was elevated from 60 to 120 mmHg for 2-120 min. cAMP contents and rates of synthesis of protein were measured by radioimmunoassay and the incorporation of [14C]-phenylalanine into total heart protein, respectively. Expression of HSP70 mRNA was determined by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: Elevation of aortic pressure significantly increased cAMP content after 2 min of perfusion (by 41%), significantly increased rates of synthesis of protein during the second hour of perfusion (by 41%), and induced expression of HSP70 mRNA maximally after 60 min of perfusion (2.7-fold the control value). Exposure to glucagon, forskolin or 1 -methyl-3-isobutylxanthine mimicked increases in these parameters caused by elevation of aortic pressure. Administration of a selective PKA inhibitor, H-89, significantly prevented induction of increases in expression of HSP70 mRNA and rates of synthesis of protein by a high pressure overload and exposure to agents that increase cAMP content. Furthermore, administration of phorbol ester induced expression of HSP70 mRNA. Administration of a PKC inhibitor, calphostin C, significantly prevented induction of increases in expression of HSP70 mRNA by a pressure overload and by exposure to phorbol ester. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the pressure-induced induction of production of HSP70 is regulated both by PKA-dependent and by PKC-dependent systems during periods of active synthesis of protein in adult rat heart.     

Effect of ischemia--reperfusion on heat shock protein 70 and 90 gene expression in rat liver: relation to nutritional status

p53 gene mutations occur in most human cancers and result in an altered protein product that accumulates within the cell. Although the observed endogenous human CTL response to p53 is weak, high-affinity, human p53-specific CTLs have been generated from HLA A2.1 transgenic mice immunized with human CTL epitope peptides. In this study, we examine the ability of HLA A2.1-restricted and human p53-specific CTLs from HLA A2.1 transgenic mice to suppress the growth of p53-overexpressing human tumors in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. In vitro, murine p53(149-157)-specific CTLs selectively lysed the p53-overexpressing pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1 but did not recognize HLA A2.1- tumor cells or HLA A2.1+ normal human fibroblasts. Furthermore, in vivo, the growth of established human tumor xenografts in SCID mice was significantly reduced and survival was prolonged after the administration of p53-specific CTLs but not after the administration of control CTLs or PBS alone. Following treatment with p53(149-157)-specific CTLs, regressing Panc-1 tumors were infiltrated by the CD8+ CTLs, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. These findings suggest that p53(149-157)-specific and HLA A2.1-restricted murine CTLs suppress the growth of established Panc-1 tumors following adoptive transfer into SCID hosts and prolong their survival.     

Involvement of heat shock elements and basal transcription elements in the differential induction of the 70-kDa heat shock protein and its cognate by cadmium chloride in 9L rat brain tumor cells

The EphA3 receptor tyrosine kinase has been implicated in guiding the axons of retinal ganglion cells as they extend in the optic tectum. A repulsive mechanism involving opposing gradients of the EphA3 receptor on retinal axons and its ligands, ephrin-A2 and ephrin-A5, in the tectum influences topographic mapping of the retinotectal projection. To investigate the overall role of the Eph family in patterning of the visual system, we have used in situ hybridization to localize nine Eph receptors in the chicken retina and optic tectum at Embryonic Day 8. Three of the receptors examined correspond to the novel chicken homologs of EphA2, EphA6, and EphA7. Unexpectedly, we found that many Eph receptors are expressed not only in retinal ganglion cells, but also in tectal cells, In particular, EphA3 mRNA is prominently expressed in the anterior tectum, with a pattern reciprocal to that of ephrin-A2 and ephrin-A5. Similarly, ephrin-A5 is expressed not only in tectal cells but also in the nasal retina, with a pattern reciprocal to that of its receptor EphA3 and partially overlapping with that of its other receptor EphA4. Consistent with the even distribution of EphA4 and the polarized distribution of EphA4 ligands in the retina, probing EphA4 immunoprecipitates from different sectors of the retina with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies revealed spatial differences in receptor phosphorylation. These complex patterns of expression and tyrosine phosphorylation suggest that Eph receptors and ephrins contribute to establishing topography of retinal axons through multiple mechanisms, in addition to playing a role in intraretinal and intratectal organization.     

Whole body hyperthermia selectively induces heat shock protein 72 in neurons of the rat spinal cord

Rabbits with lesions of either medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or amygdala central nucleus (ACN) were compared with sham-lesioned animals during differential and reversal classical conditioning of the eyeblink (EB) and heart rate (HR) response. Lesions of the mPFC, but not ACN, produced a severe impairment in EB reversal conditioning, but neither lesion affected original discrimination. However, both mPFC and ACN lesions produced a severe attenuation of accompanying HR decelerations during both initial differentiation and reversal. These results suggest that mPFC processing of Pavlovian conditioning contingencies affects not only the autonomic component of learning but preservative somatomotor conditioning as well, whereas ACN processing affects only the autonomic component.     

Detection of autoantibodies to the 90 kDa heat shock protein in systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases

Expression of the highly conserved 90 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp90) is elevated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of approximately 25% of patients with SLE. Conflicting data have been published about the frequency of antibodies to Hsp90 with the previous methodology using a complex Western blot system. We now describe an ELISA to measure autoantibodies to Hsp90 and Hsp70 in SLE patients, healthy controls and patients with a variety of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. IgG and IgM antibodies were elevated in 26 and 35% of SLE patients, respectively. These results show autoantibodies to Hsp90 (but not Hsp70) are elevated in a significant proportion of patients with SLE (P < 0.025) compared to healthy controls; and that those with raised antibody levels were more likely to have renal disease and a low C3 level (P < 0.02).     

Thermotolerance and heat shock protein (HSP 70) in vascular endothelial cells

Recently, it was determined that the endothelial cells of blood vessel play a very important physiological role in the regulation of blood coagulation and selective permeability. To study the thermotolerance of vascular endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were heated at 40, 43, 45 or 50 degrees C for various lengths of time with or without preheating at 40 or 43 degrees C for 30 min. The cell viability (CV) of HUVEC decreased gradually according to heating time. However, the CV of preheated HUVEC decreased slightly or not at all. Heat shock protein (HSP) in HUVEC heated at 37, 40, 43, or 45 degrees C was examined by immunoblotting. A new HSP 70 band was detected in HUVEC by heating at 40, 43 or 45 degrees C. HUVEC revealed thermotolerance with induction of HSP by heat stress.     

Constitutive expression of heat shock proteins Hsp90, Hsc70, Hsp70 and Hsp60 in neural and non-neural tissues of the rat during postnatal development

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are a group of highly conserved proteins, that are constitutively expressed in most cells under normal physiological conditions. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that neurons in the adult brain exhibit high levels of Hsp90 and Hsc70 mRNA and protein, as well as basal levels of Hsp70 mRNA. We have now investigated the expression of Hsp90, Hsc70, Hsp60 and Hsp70 in neural and non-neural tissues of the rat during postnatal development, a time of extensive cell differentiation. Western blot analysis revealed constitutive expression of these Hsps early in postnatal development. Developmental profiles of these Hsps suggest that they are differentially regulated during postnatal development of the rat. For example, while levels of Hsp90 decrease somewhat in certain developing brain regions, levels of Hsp60 show a developmental increase, and Hsc70 protein is abundant throughout postnatal neural development. Low basal levels of Hsp70 are also observed in the developing and adult brain. A pronounced decrease in Hsp90 and Hsc70 was observed during postnatal development of the kidney while levels of Hsp60 increased. In addition, tissue-specific differences in the relative levels of these Hsps between brain and non-brain regions were found. Immunocytochemical studies demonstrated a neuronal localization of Hsp90, Hsc70 and Hsp60 at all stages of postnatal development examined as well as in the adult, suggesting a role for Hsps in both the developing and fully differentiated neuron. The developmental expression of subunit IV of cytochrome oxidase was similar to that of Hsp60, a protein localized predominantly to mitochondria.     

Whole body heat shock fails to protect mouse heart against ischemia/reperfusion injury: role of 72 kDa heat shock protein and antioxidant enzymes

The transgenic mice overexpressing heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) or antioxidants have been reported to be more resistant to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, it remains unknown whether whole body heat stress (HS) which may induce HSP72 or endogenous antioxidants affords similar protection in the mouse heart. Adult male mice were treated with either HS (42 degrees C for 15 min) or anesthesia only (SC) against a group of non-stressed controls (NC). At 6 or 24 h later, the hearts were excised and perfused at a constant pressure of 55 mmHg in Langendorff mode. Following 30 min equilibration, hearts were subjected to 20 min of global ischemia and 30 min reperfusion (37 degrees C). Ventricular force was measured by a force-displacement transducer attached to the apex. Leakage of intracellular enzymes (CK, LDH) was measured in coronary efflux. Infarct size was determined by tetrazolium staining. The results showed that no significant differences between HS, SC, and NC groups in ventricular contractile function, CK and LDH release, or infarct size were observed at either time window. HS enhanced the expression of HSP72 in mouse hearts by two- to three-fold, whereas antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase and MnSOD) did not change significantly. We conclude that HS does not precondition the isolated perfused mice hearts against ischemia/reperfusion injury, despite induction of HSP72.     

Constitutive expression of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) in neurons of the rat brain

Immunoblot analysis, immunocytochemistry and immuno-electron microscopy were employed to study the expression of HSP90 protein in the adult rat brain, using a specific polyclonal antiserum. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated equal levels of HSP90 in microdissected extracts from hippocampus, cortex, striatum and cerebellum. Immunocytochemistry and immuno-electron microscopy provided evidence that HSP90 is markedly expressed throughout all neuronal subpopulations of the CNS but not in non-neuronal cells except ependyma and choroid plexus. At the ultrastructural level, HSP90 immunoreactivity was predominantly found in perikarya but to a lesser extent also in dendrites and nuclei. The constitutive expression of HSP90 in widespread neuronal cell populations suggests a functional role in the physiological molecular program of CNS neurons.     

Subarachnoid hemorrhage induces c-fos, c-jun and hsp70 mRNA expression in rat brain

To detect stress responses of the brain to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), we investigated the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) and hsp70 mRNA by in situ hybridization. Experimental SAH was produced in 49 rats by endovascular penetration. We also monitored the intracranial pressure (ICP) changes. The genes c-fos and c-jun were induced in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and dentate gyrus in the penetrated side. mRNA coding for hsp70 was induced in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus and caudoputamen in the penetrated side and extended to the contralateral hemisphere. IEGs in the cerebral cortex were completely blocked by MK-801 pretreatment, but hsp70 mRNA was not. This suggests that the expression of IEGs correlates with spreading depression. The IEGs and hsp70 expression may reflect the severity of SAH impact and relate to the mechanisms of symptomatic vasospasm.     

Prenatal cocaine exposure induces deficits in Pavlovian conditioning and sensory preconditioning among infant rat pups.

Offspring derived from Sprague-Dawley dams that received daily sc injection of 40 mg/kg 3 cc–2 cocaine hydrochloride (C40) or saline (LC) from Gestational Days 8–20 were tested for first-order Pavlovian conditioning and sensory preconditioning at Postnatal Days 8 (P8), P12, and P21. Although C40 dams gained significantly less weight than LC dams, pup body weights did not differ between the 2 groups. Significant sensory preconditioning was obtained at P8 and P12 (but not at P21) in LC offspring, confirming previous reports (e.g., L. P. Spear et al; see record 1989-35900-001) of decline in performance in this task during ontogeny. In contrast, C40 offspring failed to exhibit sensory preconditioning at any test age. In addition, C40 pups tested at P8 did not display significant first-order conditioning. Taken together these results suggest a more general deficit in cognitive functioning rather than a delay in cognitive development in prenatally cocaine-exposed offspring. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)