Acute temperature and cadmium stress response characterization of small heat shock protein 27 in large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea

p38 MAPK involvement in the thermal stress response occurs via HSP27 and caspase3 in the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) is a multifunctional molecule that is involved in cellular response to various stressful stimuli. In the present study, the full-length cDNA sequence of p38 MAPK (Lcp38 MAPK) was identified from the large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea, which encoded a polypeptide of 361 amino acid residues. The predicted Lcp38 MAPK protein contained a highly conserved Thr-Gly-Tyr (TGY) motif, a glutamate and aspartate (ED) site, a substrate binding site (Ala-Thr-Arg-Trp < ATRW>), and a serine/threonine kinase catalytic (S_TKc) domain characteristic of the MAPK family. The constitutive expression of Lcp38 MAPK was detected in most of the tissues examined with the strongest expression in intestine. Subcellular localization in LCK cells (kidney cell line from a L. crocea) revealed that Lcp38 MAPK existed in both the cytoplasm and cell nucleus. The expression of Lcp38 MAPK after temperature stress was tested in LCK cells. The results indicated that Lcp38 MAPK transcripts were significantly upregulated under both cold (10 °C) and heat stress (35 °C) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK as well the transcriptional levels of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and caspase3 in LCK cells were significantly induced under thermal exposure (P < 0.05). However, the cold- and heat induced HSP27 and caspase3 expression was significantly suppressed by SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38-MAPK (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that Lcp38 MAPK might be involved in the cellular stress response via HSP27 and caspase3 in large yellow croaker.

The heat shock protein 20 gene family in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea): Identification, phylogenetic relationships, expression analyses

Large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) is an economically important fish in China, but its aquaculture industry has been threatened by both biotic and abiotic stressors such as hypoxia and pathogens. In the current study, hsp20 genes were identified and analyzed systematically for the first time from the genome of large yellow croaker, and their roles in hypoxia response and Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida infection were investigated. Herein, 11 hsp20 genes were identified and annotated, phylogenetic analysis and selection pressure analysis showed that the hsp20 genes were evolutionarily-constrained and their function was conserved among fishes. Besides, we observed the expression patterns of the hsp20 genes under hypoxia and two pathogens' stress. In brief, seven, four, seven genes responded to hypoxia stress, A. hydrophila infection and P. plecoglossicida challenge, respectively, which indicated that they were involved in hypoxia and disease responses. Furthermore, pathogen- and time-specific pattern was observed after A. hydrophila and P. plecoglossicida infection whereas tissue-specific pattern was observed after hypoxia exposure, revealing that hsp20 genes showed differential functions in response to hypoxia and immune stress. Taken together, these results provided preliminary information for future analysis of the roles of hsp20 genes in both biotic and abiotic stress response in fish.

A Review on the Involvement of Heat Shock Proteins (Extrinsic Chaperones) in Response to Stress Conditions in Aquatic Organisms

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) encompass both extrinsic chaperones and stress proteins. These proteins, with molecular weights ranging from 14 to 120 kDa, are conserved across all living organisms and are expressed in response to stress. The upregulation of specific genes triggers the synthesis of HSPs, facilitated by the interaction between heat shock factors and gene promoter regions. Notably, HSPs function as chaperones or helper molecules in various cellular processes involving lipids and proteins, and their upregulation is not limited to heat-induced stress but also occurs in response to anoxia, acidosis, hypoxia, toxins, ischemia, protein breakdown, and microbial infection. HSPs play a vital role in regulating protein synthesis in cells. They assist in the folding and assembly of other cellular proteins, primarily through HSP families such as HSP70 and HSP90. Additionally, the process of the folding, translocation, and aggregation of proteins is governed by the dynamic partitioning facilitated by HSPs throughout the cell. Beyond their involvement in protein metabolism, HSPs also exert a significant influence on apoptosis, the immune system, and various characteristics of inflammation. The immunity of aquatic organisms, including shrimp, fish, and shellfish, relies heavily on the development of inflammation, as well as non-specific and specific immune responses to viral and bacterial infections. Recent advancements in aquatic research have demonstrated that the HSP levels in populations of fish, shrimp, and shellfish can be increased through non-traumatic means such as water or oral administration of HSP stimulants, exogenous HSPs, and heat induction. These methods have proven useful in reducing physical stress and trauma, while also facilitating sustainable husbandry practices such as vaccination and transportation, thereby offering health benefits. Hence, the present review discusses the importance of HSPs in different tissues in aquatic organisms (fish, shrimp), and their expression levels during pathogen invasion; this gives new insights into the significance of HSPs in invertebrates.

An updated review of cold shock and cold stress in fish

Temperature is critical in regulating virtually all biological functions in fish. Low temperature stress (cold shock/stress) is an often-overlooked challenge that many fish face as a result of both natural events and anthropogenic activities. In this study, we present an updated review of the cold shock literature based on a comprehensive literature search, following an initial review on the subject by M.R. Donaldson and colleagues, published in a 2008 volume of this journal. We focus on how knowledge on cold shock and fish has evolved over the past decade, describing advances in the understanding of the generalized stress response in fish under cold stress, what metrics may be used to quantify cold stress and what knowledge gaps remain to be addressed in future research. We also describe the relevance of cold shock as it pertains to environmental managers, policymakers and industry professionals, including practical applications of cold shock. Although substantial progress has been made in addressing some of the knowledge gaps identified a decade ago, other topics (e.g., population-level effects and interactions between primary, secondary and tertiary stress responses) have received little or no attention despite their significance to fish biology and thermal stress. Approaches using combinations of primary, secondary and tertiary stress responses are crucial as a research priority to better understand the mechanisms underlying cold shock responses, from short-term physiological changes to individual- and population-level effects, thereby providing researchers with better means of quantifying cold shock in laboratory and field settings.

AgsA response to cadmium and copper effects at different temperatures in Escherichia coli

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps), present from prokaryotes to eukaryotes, are a highly conserved molecular chaperone family. They play a crucial role in protecting organisms against cellular insults from single or multiple environmental stressors including heavy metal exposure, heat or cold shock, oxidative stress, desiccation, etc. Here, the toxicity of cadmium and copper, and their ability to modify the cellular growth rate at different temperatures in Escherichia coli cells were tested. Also, the response mechanism of the sHSP aggregation-suppressing protein (AgsA) in such multiple stress conditions was investigated. The results showed that the half effect concentration (EC₅₀ ) of cadmium in AgsA-transformed E. coli cells at 37°C, 42°C, and 50°C were 11.106, 29.50, and 4.35 mg/L, respectively, and that of the control cells lacking AgsA were 5.05, 0.93, and 0.18 mg/L, respectively, while the half effect concentration (EC₅₀ ) of copper in AgsA-transformed E. coli cells at 37°C, 42°C, and 50°C were 27.3, 3.40, and 1.28 mg/L, respectively, and that of the control cells lacking AgsA were 27.7, 5.93, and 0.134 mg/L, respectively. The toxicities of cadmium and copper at different temperatures as observed by their modification of the cellular growth rate and inhibitory effects were in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, biochemical characterization of AgsA protein in cells subjected to cadmium and copper stresses at different temperatures implicated suppressed aggregation of cellular proteins in AgsA-transformed E. coli cells. Altogether, our data implicate the AgsA protein as a sensitive protein-based biomarker for metal-induced toxicity monitoring.

The Antagonistic Effect of Selenium on Lead-Induced Inflammatory Factors and Heat Shock Protein mRNA Level in Chicken Cartilage Tissue

Selenium (Se) is recognized as a necessary trace mineral in animal diets, including those of birds. Lead (Pb) is a toxic heavy metal and can damage organs in humans and animals. Complex antagonistic interactions between Se and heavy metals have been reported in previous studies. However, little is known regarding the effects of Se on Pb-induced toxicity and the expression of inflammatory factors and heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the cartilage of chickens. In this present study, we fed chickens either with Se or Pb or both Se and Pb supplement and later analyzed the mRNA expressions of inflammatory factors (inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)) and HSPs (Hsp27, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90). The results showed that Se and Pb influenced the expression of inflammatory factors and HSP genes in the chicken cartilage tissues. Additionally, we also found that antagonistic interaction existed between Se and Pb supplementation. Our findings suggested that Se could exert a antagonistic effect on Pb in chicken cartilage tissues.

Cadmium Induces Apoptosis in Freshwater Crab Sinopotamon henanense through Activating Calcium Signal Transduction Pathway

Calcium ion (Ca²⁺) is one of the key intracellular signals, which is implicated in the regulation of cell functions such as impregnation, cell proliferation, differentiation and death. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic environmental pollutant that can disturb cell functions and even lead to cell death. Recently, we have found that Cd induced apoptosis in gill cells of the freshwater crab Sinopotamon henanense via caspase activation. In the present study, we further investigated the role of calcium signaling in the Cd-induced apoptosis in the animals. Our data showed that Cd triggered gill cell apoptosis which is evidenced by apoptotic DNA fragmentation, activations of caspases-3, -8 and -9 and the presence of apoptotic morphological features. Moreover, Cd elevated the intracellular concentration of Ca²⁺, the protein concentration of calmodulin (CaM) and the activity of Ca²⁺-ATPase in the gill cells of the crabs. Pretreatment of the animals with ethylene glycol-bis-(b-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), Ca²⁺ chelator, inhibited Cd-induced activation of caspases-3, -8 and -9 as well as blocked the Cd-triggered apoptotic DNA fragmentation. The apoptotic morphological features were no longer observed in gill cells pretreated with the Ca²⁺ signaling inhibitors before Cd treatment. Our results indicate that Cd evokes gill cell apoptosis through activating Ca²⁺-CaM signaling transduction pathway.

Expression profiling of heat shock genes in a scuttle fly Megaselia scalaris (Diptera, Phoridae)

The Phoridae are a family of small, hump-backed flies, dominating in post-fire areas. Some of these flies are probably able to survive a fire as an egg, larva, or pupa, and may be adapted to the fire-altered environment at the genomic level. In this study, we describe the influence of short-term temperature treatment on the expression of seven heat shock protein genes in the third-instar larvae and imagoes of a scuttle fly Megaselia scalaris-one of the cosmopolitan and polyphagous phorids. In terms of the response to temperature treatment, these genes tested against tubulin as a reference split into three classes. The first class consists of hsp22 (larvae), hsp23 (larvae), and hsp26 (both larvae and imagoes), and is upregulated at the lowest temperature (33°C). The second class consists of hsp22 (imagoes), hsp23 (imagoes), hsp40 (larvae and imagoes), and hsp70 (larvae and imagoes), and is upregulated or induced at 37°C. Expression of genes of the third class (hsp27 and hsp83-larvae and imagoes) increased after treatment at 41°C temperature. Expression of the first two classes of genes occurred at a temperature lower than the LT₅₀ of larvae and imagoes. The fact that there is a gap between the temperature upregulating hsp genes and the temperature leading to the loss of viability suggests that not only the level of hsp gene expression but also the temperature at which gene expression increased is important in an adaptation of M. scalaris to harsh environment. J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 704-713, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Role of HSP70 in cytoplasm protection against thermal stress in rohu, Labeo rohita

To understand the function of HSP70 of Labeo rohita (LrHSP70) in cellular protection, LrHSP70 ORF cDNA was inserted into the plasmid of pET-32a(+) or pEGFP-L1. Then, the recombinant plasmids were transformed or transfected into Escherichia coli cells, mouse myeloma cells (MPC-11) or fish hepatoma cells (PLHC-1). Western blot results revealed that LrHSP70 was expressed in E. coli cells and molecular weight was estimated to be 70 kDa. In cells, LrHSP70 was over-expressed following thermal or cold stress. Results revealed that LrHSP70 protected prokaryotic cells against thermal or cold extremes as well as played the same role in MPC-11 and PLHC-1 cells. After heat treatment at 42 °C for 1 h, the viability of the cell was declined considerably. PLHC-1 cells with pEGFP-L1/LrHSP70 exhibited a higher survival rate (50%) than wild-type cells (18%) or cells with only pEGFP-L1 (21.2%). When the time lag extended to 2 h, the survival rates were 30%, 3.4% and 5.3% respectively. The present study revealed that LrHSP70 plays an important role in response to thermal and cold stress in fish.

Characterization of the small heat shock protein Hsp27 gene in Chironomus riparius (Diptera) and its expression profile in response to temperature changes and xenobiotic exposures

Small heat shock proteins constitute the most diverse and least conserved group within the large family of heat shock proteins, which play a crucial role in cell response to environmental insults. Chironomus riparius larvae are widely used in environmental research for testing pollutant toxicity in sediments and freshwater environments. Different genes, such as Hsp70, Hsc70, Hsp90, and Hsp40, have been identified in this species as sensitive biomarkers for xenobiotics, but small Hsps genes remain largely unknown. In this study, the Hsp27 has been characterized in C. riparius and its transcriptional response evaluated under several environmental stimuli. The Hsp27 gene was mapped by FISH on polytene chromosomes at region I-C4 and was found to encode a 195 aa protein, which contains an α-crystallin domain bounded by three conserved regions. This protein shows homology with Drosophila melanogaster HSP27, Ceratitis capitata HSP27, and Sarcophaga crassipalpis HSP25. Real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that heat shock (35 °C) and cadmium dramatically upregulate this gene. Moreover, exposures to triclosan and bisphenol A were able to significantly increase mRNA levels. However, neither nonylphenol nor tributyltin altered Hsp27 gene expression. The transcriptional activity of Hsp27 gene was modulated during cold stress. Interestingly, cold shock (4 °C) significantly reduced Hsp27 transcripts, but this gene was significantly overexpressed during the recovery time at the normal growing temperature. These results show that the Hsp27 gene is sensitive to different environmental stimuli, including endocrine-disrupting pollutants, suggesting its potential as a suitable biomarker for ecotoxicological studies in aquatic systems.

Molecular response of estuarine fish to hypoxia: a comparative study with ruffe and flounder from field and laboratory

On a global scale, the frequencies and magnitudes of hypoxic events in coastal and estuarine waters have increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Fish populations are suitable indicators for the assessment of the quality of aquatic ecosystems, as they are omnipresent and often comprise a variety of different lifestyles and adaption strategies. We have investigated on the molecular level the impact of hypoxia on two fish species typical of European estuaries. We monitored the expression of eleven putatively hypoxia-responsive genes by means of quantitative real-time RT-PCR in brains, gills and hearts of the ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua) and the flounder (Platichthys flesus). We first investigated the effect of naturally occurring hypoxia in the Elbe estuary. In a second approach, expression changes in the response to hypoxia were monitored under controlled laboratory conditions. The genes that showed the strongest effect were two respiratory proteins, myoglobin and neuroglobin, as well as the apoptosis enzyme caspase 3. As previously observed in other fish, myoglobin, which was considered to be muscle-specific, was found in brain and gills as well. Comparison of field and laboratory studies showed that--with the exception of the heart of flounder--that mRNA levels of the selected genes were about the same, suggesting that laboratory conditions reflect natural conditions. Likewise, trends of gene expression changes under hypoxia were the same, although hypoxia response was more pronounced in the Elbe estuary. In general, the flounder displayed a stronger response to hypoxia than the ruffe, suggesting that the flounder is more susceptible to hypoxia. The most pronounced differences were found among tissues within a species, demonstrating that hypoxia response is largely tissue-specific. In summary, our data suggest that laboratory experiments essentially mimic field data, but additional environmental factors enhance hypoxia response in nature.

The effect of manganese-induced cytotoxicity on mRNA expressions of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 in chicken spleen lymphocytes in vitro

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of manganese (Mn)-induced cytotoxicity on heat shock proteins in chicken spleen lymphocytes. Lymphocytes were cultured in medium in the absence and presence of MnCl2 (2 × 10(-4), 4 × 10(-4), 6 × 10(-4), 8 × 10(-4), 10 × 10(-4), and 12 × 10(-4) mmol/L) for 12, 24, 36, and 48 h in vitro. Then, the mRNA levels of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 were examined by real-time quantitative PCR. The results showed that the mRNA levels of HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 in all treatment groups at all time points, except mRNA levels of HSP27 at 48 h, had the same tendency. As manganese concentration increased, the mRNA expression of the heat shock proteins first increased and then decreased. In other words, we demonstrated that the mRNA expression of the heat shock proteins was induced at lower concentrations of manganese and was inhibited at higher concentrations. Mn had a dosage-dependent effect on HSP27, HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 mRNA expression in chicken spleen lymphocytes in vitro.