Phosphorylation-dependent cellular localization and thermoprotective role of heat shock protein 25 in hippocampal progenitor cells

MK2 nonenzymatically promotes nuclear translocation of caspase-3 and resultant apoptosis

We have previously identified mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) is required for caspase-3 nuclear translocation in the execution of apoptosis; however, little is known of the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, we sought to determine the role of kinase and nonkinase functions of MK2 in promoting nuclear translocation of caspase-3. We identified two non-small cell lung cancer cell lines for use in these experiments based on low MK2 expression. Wild-type, enzymatic and cellular localization mutant MK2 constructs were expressed using adenoviral infection. Cell death was evaluated by flow cytometry. In addition, cell lysates were harvested for protein analyses. Phosphorylation of caspase-3 was determined using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting and in vitro kinase assay. Association between MK2 and caspase-3 was evaluated using proximity-based biotin ligation assays and co-immunoprecipitation. Overexpression of MK2 resulted in nuclear translocation of caspase-3 and caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. MK2 directly phosphorylates caspase-3; however, phosphorylation status of caspase-3 or MK2-dependent phosphorylation of caspase-3 did not alter caspase-3 activity. The enzymatic function of MK2 was dispensable in nuclear translocation of caspase-3. MK2 and caspase-3 associated together and a nonenzymatic function of MK2, chaperoned nuclear trafficking, is required for caspase-3-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, our results demonstrate a nonenzymatic role for MK2 in the nuclear translocation of caspase-3. Furthermore, MK2 may function as a molecular switch in regulating the transition between the cytosolic and nuclear functions of caspase-3.

Early effects of lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus on milk production-related signaling pathways in mouse mammary epithelial cells

Staphylococcus aureus causes subclinical mastitis; lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from S. aureus causes mastitis-like adverse effects on milk production by mammary epithelial cells (MECs). Here, we investigated the early effects of LTA from S. aureus on mouse MECs using a culture model, in which MECs produced milk components and formed less permeable tight junctions (TJs). In MECs of this model, Toll-like receptor 2 (receptor for LTA), was localized on the apical membrane, similar to MECs in lactating mammary glands. LTA weakened the TJ barrier within 1 h, concurrently with localization changes of claudin 4. LTA treatment for 24 h increased αS1-casein and decreased β-casein levels. In MECs exposed to LTA, the activation level of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (major transcriptional factor for milk production) was low. LTA activated signaling pathways related to cell survival (extracellular signal-regulated kinase, heat shock protein 27, and Akt) and inflammation (p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and nuclear factor κB). Thus, LTA caused abnormalities in casein production and weakened the TJs by affecting multiple signaling pathways in MECs. LTA-induced changes in signaling pathways were not uniform in all MECs. Such complex and semi-negative actions of LTA may contribute to subclinical mastitis caused by S. aureus.

Effect of Heat Shock Preconditioning on Pressure Injury Prevention via Hsp27 Upregulation in Rat Models

Pressure injury (PI) prevention is a huge industry and involves various interventions. Temperature and moisture are important factors for wound healing; however, the active mechanism by which “moist heat” affects PI prevention has not yet been clarified. Thus, we explored the protective and therapeutic effects of hydrotherapy on PI based on the preconditioning (PC) principle, which might be useful for clinical practice. This study aimed to investigate the preventive mechanisms of heat shock preconditioning on PIs in rat models. The experiment was performed in the basic medical laboratory of Nagano College of Nursing in Japan. Ten rats were divided into two groups, with five rats in each group. Rats in the control group were not bathed. Rats in the preconditioning group (PC group) were bathed with hot tap-water. Bathing was conducted thrice a week. After bathing for 4 weeks, the PI model was constructed on the rats’ dorsal skin. The skin temperature, skin moisture, and area of ulcers were compared between the two groups. In vitro, we investigated the expression of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) in 6, 12, and 24 h after the PI model was constructed through Western blot analysis. Ulcers occurred in the control group 24 h after the PI model constructed, wheras the PC group exhibited ulcers after 36 h. The ulcer area was larger in the control group than that in the PC group after 24 h (all p < 0.05). The temperatures of PI wounds in the control group decreased and were lower than those in the PC group after 1, 6, 12, 36, and 48 h (all p < 0.05). However, the skin moisture levels of PI wounds increased in the control group and were higher than those in the PC group at the same time (all p < 0.05). Using Western blot analysis, hydrotherapy preconditioning showed the potential to increase Hsp27 expression after pressure was released (p < 0.05). We determine that heat shock preconditioning had a preventive effect on PIs in rat models, a result that may be associated with their actions in the upregulation of Hsp27.

A biosensor of protein foldedness identifies increased "holdase" activity of chaperones in the nucleus following increased cytosolic protein aggregation

Chaperones and other quality control machinery guard proteins from inappropriate aggregation, which is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. However, how the systems that regulate the 'foldedness' of the proteome remain buffered under stress conditions and in different cellular compartments remains incompletely understood. In this study, we applied a FRET-based strategy to explore how well quality control machinery protects against the misfolding and aggregation of "bait" biosensor proteins, made from the prokaryotic ribonuclease barnase, in the nucleus and cytosol of HEK293T cells. We found those barnase biosensors prone to misfolding, were less engaged by quality control machinery and more prone to inappropriate aggregation in the nucleus as compared to the cytosol, and that these effects could be regulated by chaperone Hsp70-related machinery. Furthermore, aggregation of mutant huntingtin exon 1 protein (Httex1) in the cytosol appeared to outcompete and thus prevented the engagement of quality control machinery with the biosensor in the cytosol. This effect correlated with reduced levels of DNAJB1 and HSPA1A chaperones in the cell outside those sequestered to the aggregates, particularly in the nucleus. Unexpectedly, we found Httex1 aggregation also increased the apparent engagement of the barnase biosensor with quality control machinery in the nucleus suggesting an independent implementation of 'holdase' activity of chaperones other than DNAJB1 and HSPA1A. Collectively these results suggest that proteostasis stress can trigger a rebalancing of chaperone abundance in different subcellular compartments through a dynamic network involving different chaperone-client interactions.

Targeting metabolic syndrome with phytochemicals: Focus on the role of molecular chaperones and hormesis in drug discovery

Adaptive cellular stress response confers stress tolerance against inflammatory and metabolic disorders. In response to metabolic stress, the key mediator of cellular adaptation and tolerance is a class of molecules called the molecular chaperones (MCs). MCs are highly conserved molecules that play critical role in maintaining protein stability and functionality. Hormesis in this context is a unique adaptation mechanism where a low dose of a stressor (which is toxic at high dose) confers a stress-resistant adaptive cellular phenotype. Hormesis can be observed at different level of biological organization at various measurable endpoints. The MCs are believed to play a key role in adaptation during hormesis. Several phytochemicals are known for their hormetic response and are called phytochemical hormetins. The role of phytochemical-mediated hormesis on the adaptive cellular processes is proposed as a potential therapeutic approach to target inflammation associated with metabolic syndrome. However, the screening of phytochemical hormetins would require a paradigm shift in the methods currently used in drug discovery.

CID-6033590 inhibits p38MAPK pathway and induces S-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in DU145 and PC-3 cells

Metastatic prostate cancer, with no effective treatment, is among the leading causes of cancer-associated deaths in men. Overexpression of p38αMAPK has been observed in neuroendocrine prostate cancer patients and in both DU145 and PC-3 cell lines and represents a good drug target. Sulfonamide derivatives have shown biological activities against many human diseases, including cancer. CID-6033590, a sulfonylhydrazide compound, screened from PubChem database by molecular docking with p38αMAPK, was evaluated for anti-cancerous activities. CID-6033590 induced toxicity in both DU145 and PC-3 cells in a concentration and time-dependent manner with an IC₅₀ value of 60 μM and 66 μM, respectively. Sub-cytotoxic concentrations of the compound significantly induced S-phase cell cycle arrest, inhibited cyclinA/CDK2 complex and blocked cell proliferation. Further, CID-6033590 downregulated phosphorylation of p38MAPK (P-p38) as well as its downstream targets, Activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2) and Heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27). The compound increased ROS and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), downregulated Bcl-2 and survivin and cleaved poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3, indicating the induction of apoptosis. The evaluaion of the compound on noncancerous, human prostatic epithelial cell line RWPE-1, and healthy murine tissues yielded no significant toxicity. Taken together, we suggest CID-6033590 as a potential candidate for prostate cancer therapy.

Heat Shock Protein 27 Phosphorylation Regulates Tumor Cell Migration under Shear Stress

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a multifunctional protein that undergoes significant changes in its expression and phosphorylation in response to shear stress stimuli, suggesting that it may be involved in mechanotransduction. However, the mechanism of HSP27 affecting tumor cell migration under shear stress is still not clear. In this study, HSP27-enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP) and HSP27-Ypet plasmids are constructed to visualize the self-polymerization of HSP27 in living cells based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology. The results show that shear stress induces polar distribution of HSP27 to regulate the dynamic structure at the cell leading edge. Shear stress also promotes HSP27 depolymerization to small molecules and then regulates polar actin accumulation and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) polar activation, which further promotes tumor cell migration. This study suggests that HSP27 plays an important role in the regulation of shear stress-induced HeLa cell migration, and it also provides a theoretical basis for HSP27 as a potential drug target for metastasis.

Androgen receptor and heat shock protein 27 co-regulate the malignant potential of molecular apocrine breast cancer

Background

The most striking feature of molecular apocrine breast cancer (MABC) is the expression of androgen receptor (AR). We report here the mechanism of the AR in regulating the behavior of MABC.

Methods

The MABC cell line, MDA-MB-453, and the nonMABC cell line, MCF7, were used in this study. The effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) on cell proliferation was quantified using the cell counter kit-8 (CCK8) and clonogenic assays in vitro and by a xenograft tumor model in vivo. The expression of the AR and HSP27 was analyzed using western blot, qPCR, and immunofluorescence assays. Complexes of the AR and HSP27 were detected by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP).

Results

In MDA-MB-453 cells, DHT promoted cell proliferation and stimulated AR and HSP27 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, whereas, it inhibited MCF7 cell growth, and only the AR translocated into the nucleus. HSP27 knock-down decreased the proliferative ability of MDA-MB-453 cells, which could be rescued by DHT, while HSP27 and DHT had synergistic effects on MCF7 cells. HSP27 phosphorylation was a prerequisite for AR translocation into the nucleus, especially phosphorylation on serine 82. In addition, DHT stimulated the tumorigenic and metastatic capacities of MDA-MB-453 cells, while HSP27 knock-down decreased the rate of tumor formation and induced apoptosis in cells.

Conclusions

The results suggest that HSP27 assists the AR in regulating the malignant behavior of MABC, and these findings might be helpful in the treatment of MABC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-018-0762-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Autoantibody Signaling in Pemphigus Vulgaris: Development of an Integrated Model

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune skin blistering disease effecting both cutaneous and mucosal epithelia. Blister formation in PV is known to result from the binding of autoantibodies (autoAbs) to keratinocyte antigens. The primary antigenic targets of pathogenic autoAbs are known to be desmoglein 3, and to a lesser extent, desmoglein 1, cadherin family proteins that partially comprise the desmosome, a protein structure responsible for maintaining cell adhesion, although additional autoAbs, whose role in blister formation is still unclear, are also known to be present in PV patients. Nevertheless, there remain large gaps in knowledge concerning the precise mechanisms through which autoAb binding induces blister formation. Consequently, the primary therapeutic interventions for PV focus on systemic immunosuppression, whose side effects represent a significant health risk to patients. In an effort to identify novel, disease-specific therapeutic targets, a multitude of studies attempting to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms downstream of autoAb binding, have led to significant advancements in the understanding of autoAb-mediated blister formation. Despite this enhanced characterization of disease processes, a satisfactory explanation of autoAb-induced acantholysis still does not exist. Here, we carefully review the literature investigating the pathogenic disease mechanisms in PV and, taking into account the full scope of results from these studies, provide a novel, comprehensive theory of blister formation in PV.

Mild heat induces a distinct "eustress" response in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells but does not induce heat shock protein synthesis

The current research on cellular heat stress management focuses on the roles of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and the proteostasis network under severe stress conditions. The mild, fever-type stress and the maintenance of membrane homeostasis are less well understood. Herein, we characterized the acute effect of mild, fever-range heat shock on membrane organization, and HSP synthesis and localization in two mammalian cell lines, to delineate the role of membranes in the sensing and adaptation to heat. A multidisciplinary approach combining ultrasensitive fluorescence microscopy and lipidomics revealed the molecular details of novel cellular “eustress”, when cells adapt to mild heat by maintaining membrane homeostasis, activating lipid remodeling, and redistributing chaperone proteins. Notably, this leads to acquired thermotolerance in the complete absence of the induction of HSPs. At higher temperatures, additional defense mechanisms are activated, including elevated expression of molecular chaperones, contributing to an extended stress memory and acquired thermotolerance.

Aspirin-induced heat stress resistance in chicken myocardial cells can be suppressed by BAPTA-AM in vitro

Our recent studies have displayed the protective functions of aspirin against heat stress (HS) in chicken myocardial cells, and it may be associated with heat shock proteins (HSPs). In this study, we further investigated the potential role of HSPs in the aspirin-induced heat stress resistance. Four of the most important HSPs including HspB1 (Hsp27), Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 were induced by aspirin pretreatment and were suppressed by BAPTA-AM. When HSPs were induced by aspirin, much slighter HS injury was detected. But more serious damages were observed when HSPs were suppressed by BAPTA-AM than those cells exposed to HS without BAPTA-AM, even the myocardial cells have been treated with aspirin in prior. Comparing to other HSPs, HspB1 presented the largest increase after aspirin treatments, 86-fold higher than the baseline (the level before HS). These findings suggested that multiple HSPs participated in aspirin's anti-heat stress function but HspB1 may contribute the most. Interestingly, during the experiments, we also found that apoptosis rate as well as the oxidative stress indicators (T-SOD and MDA) was not consistently responding to heat stress injury as expected. By selecting from a series of candidates, myocardial cell damage-related enzymes (CK-MB and LDH), cytopathological tests, and necrosis rate (measured by flow cytometry assays) are believed to be reliable indicators to evaluate heat stress injury in chicken's myocardial cells and they will be used in our further investigations.

Acetyl salicylic acid protected against heat stress damage in chicken myocardial cells and may associate with induced Hsp27 expression

We investigated whether acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) protects chicken myocardial cells from heat stress-mediated damage in vivo and whether the induction of Hsp27 expression is connected with this function. Pathological changes, damage-related enzyme levels, and Hsp27 expression were studied in chickens following heat stress (40 ± 1 °C for 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, or 24 h, respectively) with or without ASA administration (1 mg/kg BW, 2 h prior). Appearance of pathological lesions such as degenerations and karyopyknosis as well as the myocardial damage-related enzyme activation indicated that heat stress causes considerable injury to the myocardial cells in vivo. Myocardial cell injury was most serious in chickens exposed to heat stress without prior ASA administration; meanwhile, ASA pretreatment acted protective function against high temperature-induced injury. Hsp27 expression was induced under all experimental conditions but was one-fold higher in the ASA-pretreated animals (0.3138 ± 0.0340 ng/mL) than in untreated animals (0.1437 ± 0.0476 ng/mL) 1 h after heat stress exposure, and such an increase was sustained over the length of the experiment. Our findings indicate that pretreatment with ASA protects chicken myocardial cells from acute heat stress in vivo with almost no obvious side effects, and this protection may involve an enhancement of Hsp27 expression. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying this effect require further investigation.

Interferon-β counter-regulates its own pro-apoptotic action by activating p38 MAPK signalling in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

Type I interferons (IFNs) induce apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells, but the molecular mechanisms regulating this event have not been completely elucidated. Here, we investigated the role of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity, a key regulator of apoptosis and a known modulator of IFN-induced responses in non-neuronal cells. We show that in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells IFN-β induced a delayed and sustained increase of p38 MAPK activity through a novel mechanism involving the sequential activation of Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 signalling, enhanced expression of the NADPH oxidase catalytic subunit gp91(phox), increased reactive oxygen species production and stimulation of the MAPK kinase kinase transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1. Either blockade of p38 MAPK by the second generation inhibitors BIRB0796 and VX745 or siRNA knockdown of p38α MAPK enhanced IFN-β-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells. Exposure to IFN-β increased the phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein HSP27 at Ser15, Ser78 and Ser82 with a time course similar to p38 MAPK activation and this response was suppressed by either p38α MAPK depletion or pharmacological inhibition of p38 MAPK and MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2). Either silencing of HSP27 expression by siRNA or MK2 inhibition potentiated IFN-β-induced apoptotic death. These results indicate that IFN-β-induced apoptosis of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells is associated with a long-lasting up-regulation of p38 MAPK activity, stimulation of MK2 and phosphorylation of the pro-survival protein HSP27. Moreover, the data show that inhibition of p38 MAPK signalling potentiates the anti-neuroblastoma activity of the cytokine, indicating that this pathway mediates a counter-regulatory response.

Effects of prolonged exposure of mouse embryos to elevated temperatures on embryonic developmental competence

To investigate effects of heat stress on developmental competence, in-vitro fertilized zygotes were incubated at different temperatures until 96 h post human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). Under severe and moderate conditions (41°C and 40°C), most embryos did not overcome the 2-cell block. In long-term mild heat stress (39°C until 96 h post HCG), cleavage and blastocyst formation were comparable to non-heat-stress control, but the number of live pups per transferred embryo and mean litter size were significantly affected (P < 0.05) in the mild-heat-stress group (19.4%, and 5.1 ± 0.4, respectively), compared with control (41.7% and 8.3 ± 0.3, respectively). To elucidate the different competence, gene expression was examined and the numbers of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells were counted. Aberrant expression of genes for embryonic viability and trophoblast differentiation in the mild-heat-stressed blastocysts was found. Moreover, the expanded blastocysts in the heat-stressed group and the control had a ICM:TE ratio of 1:2.47 and 1:2.96 with average total cell numbers of 59.21 ± 2.38 and 72.79 ± 2.40, respectively (P < 0.05), indicating lower cell numbers in TE. These findings underscore that prevention of heat stress in early embryos is important for maintaining embryo viability embryos during pregnancy.

Inhibition of heat shock protein 27 phosphorylation promotes sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil in colorectal cancer cells

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the inhibition of HSP27 phosphorylation, which affects certain cellular functions, modulates sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in colorectal cancer cells. Exposure to 5-FU in HCT116 and HCT15 cells expressing high levels of HSP27 with a low 5-FU sensitivity caused a minimal change in HSP27 expression, but induced the upregulation of HSP27 phosphorylation, particularly at Ser78. By contrast, exposure to 5-FU in HT29 cells expressing a low level of HSP27 with a high 5-FU sensitivity marginally increased HSP27 expression, with minimal phosphorylation. Treatment with a selective inhibitor, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK; SB203580), caused the dose-dependent suppression of HSP27 phosphorylation, which was upregulated by 5-FU, reducing the half maximal inhibitory concentration values of 5-FU in the HCT116 and HCT15 cells. However, treatment with SB203580 exhibited no significant effect on cell growth or survival. In conclusion, this study indicated that the inhibition of HSP27 phosphorylation by a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK promotes 5-FU sensitivity without causing cytotoxicity in colorectal cancer cells.

Preconditioning stem cells for in vivo delivery

Stem cells have emerged as promising tools for the treatment of incurable neural and heart diseases and tissue damage. However, the survival of transplanted stem cells is reported to be low, reducing their therapeutic effects. The major causes of poor survival of stem cells in vivo are linked to anoikis, potential immune rejection, and oxidative damage mediating apoptosis. This review investigates novel methods and potential molecular mechanisms for stem cell preconditioning in vitro to increase their retention after transplantation in damaged tissues. Microenvironmental preconditioning (e.g., hypoxia, heat shock, and exposure to oxidative stress), aggregate formation, and hydrogel encapsulation have been revealed as promising strategies to reduce cell apoptosis in vivo while maintaining biological functions of the cells. Moreover, this review seeks to identify methods of optimizing cell dose preparation to enhance stem cell survival and therapeutic function after transplantation.

L-Threonine induces heat shock protein expression and decreases apoptosis in heat-stressed intestinal epithelial cells

OBJECTIVES

Osmotically acting amino acids can be cytoprotective following injury. As threonine (THR) induces osmotic cell swelling, our aim was to investigate the potential for THR to induce cellular protection in intestinal epithelial cells and evaluate possible mechanisms of protection.

METHODS

Cells treated with a range of THR doses were evaluated following heat stress (HS) injury. Alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), a non-metabolizable amino acid analog, was used as an osmotic control. MTS assays were used to assess cell survival. Heat shock protein (HSP) expression and cleaved caspase-3 (CC3) were evaluated via Western blot. Cell morphology and cell size were analyzed via microscopy.

RESULT

Following HS, THR treatment increased cell viability in a dose dependent manner vs. non-THR treated cells (CT). The non-metabolized amino acid analogue, AIB, also increased cell survival in heat-stressed cells versus HS controls. HSP70 and HSP25 expression increased with THR and AIB treatment versus HS controls. THR also increased HSP25 in non-stressed cells. Microscopic evaluation revealed both THR and AIB preserved the structural integrity of the actin cytoskeleton in heat-stressed cells versus HS controls. THR, but not AIB, enhanced nuclear translocation of HSP25 during HS. This nuclear translocation was associated with a 60% decrease in apoptosis in heat-stressed cells with THR. No antiapoptotic effect was observed with AIB.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first demonstration that THR increases HSP70 and HSP 25 and protects cells from HS. THR's mechanism of protection may involve cytoskeletal stabilization, HSP up-regulation and nuclear translocation, and decreased apoptosis. THR's protection appears to involve both cell-swelling-dependent and -independent processes.

Association of nuclear-localized Nemo-like kinase with heat-shock protein 27 inhibits apoptosis in human breast cancer cells

Nemo-like kinase (NLK), a proline-directed serine/threonine kinase regulated by phosphorylation, can be localized in the cytosol or in the nucleus. Whether the localization of NLK can affect cell survival or cell apoptosis is yet to be disclosed. In the present study we found that NLK was mainly localized in the nuclei of breast cancer cells, in contrast to a cytosolic localization in non-cancerous breast epithelial cells. The nuclear localization of NLK was mediated through direct interaction with Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) which further protected cancer cells from apoptosis. The present study provides evidence of a novel mechanism by which HSP27 recognizes NLK in the breast cancer cells and prevents NLK-mediated cell apoptosis.

Phosphoproteomic dynamics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) reveals shared and distinct components of dehydration response

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a ubiquitous regulatory mechanism that plays critical roles in transducing stress signals to bring about coordinated intracellular responses. To gain better understanding of dehydration response in plants, we have developed a differential phosphoproteome in a food legume, chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Three-week-old chickpea seedlings were subjected to progressive dehydration by withdrawing water, and the changes in the phosphorylation status of a large repertoire of proteins were monitored. The proteins were resolved by 2-DE and stained with phosphospecific fluorescent Pro-Q Diamond dye. Mass spectrometric analysis led to the identification of 91 putative phosphoproteins, presumably involved in a variety of functions including cell defense and rescue, photosynthesis and photorespiration, molecular chaperones, and ion transport, among others. Multiple sites of phosphorylation were predicted on several key elements, which include both the regulatory as well as the functional proteins. A critical survey of the phosphorylome revealed a DREPP (developmentally regulated plasma membrane protein) plasma membrane polypeptide family protein, henceforth designated CaDREPP1. The transcripts of CaDREPP1 were found to be differentially regulated under dehydration stress, further corroborating the proteomic results. This work provides new insights into the possible phosphorylation events triggered by the conditions of progressive water-deficit in plants.

HSF1-mediated regulation of tumor cell apoptosis: a novel target for cancer therapeutics

Programmed cell death/apoptosis is a genetically conserved phenomenon involved in many biological processes including reconstruction of multicellular organisms and elimination of old or damaged cells. It is regulated by the activation/deactivation of PKC in response to exogenous and endogenous stimuli. PKC is activated under stress by a series of downstream signaling cascades, which ultimately induce HSF1 activation, which results in overexpression of heat shock proteins. Overexpression of heat shock proteins interferes in the apoptotic pathway, while their blocking results in apoptosis. Therefore, HSF1 could be a novel therapeutic target against a variety of tumors. Several pharmacological inhibitors of PKC have been demonstrated to exert inhibitory effects on the activation of HSF1 and, therefore, induce apoptosis in tumor cells. However, studies regarding the role of pharmacological inhibitors in the regulation of apoptosis and possible anti-tumor therapeutic intervention are still unknown or in their infancy. Therefore, an attempt has been made to delineate the precise role of HSF1 in the regulation of apoptosis and its prospects in cancer therapeutics.

Localization and expression of Hsp27 and αB-crystallin in rat primary myocardial cells during heat stress in vitro

Neonatal rat primary myocardial cells were subjected to heat stress in vitro, as a model for investigating the distribution and expression of Hsp27 and αB-crystallin. After exposure to heat stress at 42°C for different durations, the activities of enzymes expressed during cell damage increased in the supernatant of the heat-stressed myocardial cells from 10 min, and the pathological lesions were characterized by karyopyknosis and acute degeneration. Thus, cell damage was induced at the onset of heat stress. Immunofluorescence analysis showed stronger positive signals for both Hsp27 and αB-crystallin from 10 min to 240 min of exposure compared to the control cells. According to the Western blotting results, during the 480 min of heat stress, no significant variation was found in Hsp27 and αB-crystallin expression; however, significant differences were found in the induction of their corresponding mRNAs. The expression of these small heat shock proteins (sHsps) was probably delayed or overtaxed due to the rapid consumption of sHsps in myocardial cells at the onset of heat stress. Our findings indicate that Hsp27 and αB-crystallin do play a role in the response of cardiac cells to heat stress, but the details of their function remain to be investigated.

Phosphorylated Hsp27 activates ATM-dependent p53 signaling and mediates the resistance of MCF-7 cells to doxorubicin-induced apoptosis

DNA damage activates p53 and its downstream target genes, which further leads to apoptosis or survival either by the cell cycle arrest or by DNA repair. In many tumors, the heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is expressed at high levels to provide protection against anticancer drugs. However, the roles of Hsp27 in p53-mediated cellular responses to DNA damage are controversial. Here, we investigated the interplay between the phosphorylation status of Hsp27 and p53 in kidney 293A (HEK293A) cells and found that over-expressing phosphorylated Hsp27 mimics (Hsp27-3D) activated p53/p21 in an ATM-dependent manner. In addition, incubation with doxorubicin (Dox), an anticancer drug, induced Hsp27 phosphorylation in human adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7). In contrast, inhibition of Hsp27 phosphorylation retarded both p53 induction and p21 accumulation, and led to cell apoptosis. Furthermore, phosphorylated Hsp27 increased p53 nuclear importing and its downstream target gene expression such as p21 and MDM2, while de-phosphorylated Hsp27 impeded this procession. Taken together, our data suggest that Hsp27, in its phosphorylated or de-phosphorylated status, plays different roles in regulating p53 pathway and cell survival.

Hippocampal heat shock protein 25 expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

Hippocampal abnormalities are believed to increase the risk of cognitive decline in diabetic patients. The underlying mechanism is unknown, but both hyperglycemia and oxidative stress have been implicated. Cellular stresses induce the expression of heat shock protein 25 (HSP25) and this results in cytoprotection. Our aim was to assess hippocampal expression of HSP25 in experimental diabetes. Mice were rendered diabetic by streptozotocin injection. Ten weeks after diabetes onset hippocampal HSP25 expression was studied by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, nitrotyrosine, iNOS, HSP72, HSP90, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) was assessed by either IHC or immunoblotting, Cu/Zn-SOD activity by enzymatic assay, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content by colorimetric assay. Hippocampal HSP25 was significantly increased in diabetic as compared to non-diabetic animals and localized predominantly within the pyramidal neurons layer of the CA1 area. This was paralleled by overexpression of nitrotyrosine, iNOS, SOD expression/activity, and enhanced MDA content. In experimental diabetes, HSP25 is overexpressed in the CA1 pyramidal neurons in parallel with markers of oxidative stress.

Translocation of HSP27 into liver cancer cell nucleus may be associated with phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc glycosylation

It has been reported that the dynamic interplay between O-GlcNAcylation and O-phosphorylation is responsible for altering the activity or localization of heat-shock proteins. The aim of this study was to determine whether dynamic interplay between O-GlcNAcylation and O-phosphorylation of HSP27 in hepatocellular cancer (HCC) cells affect its entry into the nucleus. We demonstrate that the entry of HSP27 into the nucleus correlated with its phosphorylation through transfecting HCC cells with plasmids coding for wild-type HSP27 (HSP27-WT), its non-phosphorylatable (HSP27-3A) and pseudophosphorylated (HSP27-3D) mutants, however, not all of the endogenous or exogenous nuclear HSP27 was modified by phosphorylation. We observed that HSP27 was modified with O-GlcNAc glycosylation in HCC cells and report that at conserved Ser residues of HSP27, alternative phosphorylation and O-GlcNAc modification can be predicted by the YinOYang 1.2 method. Furthermore, after P79350 or combined SB203580 and PUGNAc treatment, increased nuclear import of HSP27-WT and HSP27-3D implied that the entry of HSP27 into the nucleus was not only correlated with phosphorylation, but also with O-GlcNAc glycosylation. Collectively, O-GlcNAcylation of HSP27 in HCC cells may be a novel regulatory mode of HSP27 function, particularly for its entry into the nucleus. Crosstalk or interplay between glycosylation and phosphorylation of HSP27 could regulate its subcellular localization and biological functions in liver cancer.

Soluble HSPB1 regulates VEGF-mediated angiogenesis through their direct interaction

Endothelial cell function is critical for angiogenic balance in both physiological and pathological conditions, such as wound healing and cancer, respectively. We report here that soluble heat shock protein beta-1 (HSPB1) is released primarily from endothelial cells (ECs), and plays a key role in regulating angiogenic balance via direct interaction with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF-mediated phosphorylation of intracellular HSPB1 inhibited the secretion of HSPB1 and their binding activity in ECs. Interestingly, co-culture of tumor ECs with tumor cells decreased HSPB1 secretion from tumor ECs, suggesting that inhibition of HSPB1 secretion allows VEGF to promote angiogenesis. Additionally, neutralization of HSPB1 in a primary mouse sarcoma model promoted tumor growth, indicating the anti-angiogenic role of soluble HSPB1. Overexpression of HSPB1 by HSPB1 adenovirus was sufficient to suppress lung metastases of CT26 colon carcinoma in vivo, while neutralization of HSPB1 promoted in vivo wound healing. While VEGF-induced regulation of angiogenesis has been studied extensively, these findings illustrate the key contribution of HSPB1-VEGF interactions in the balance between physiological and pathological angiogenesis.

Large potentials of small heat shock proteins

Modern classification of the family of human small heat shock proteins (the so-called HSPB) is presented, and the structure and properties of three members of this family are analyzed in detail. Ubiquitously expressed HSPB1 (HSP27) is involved in the control of protein folding and, when mutated, plays a significant role in the development of certain neurodegenerative disorders. HSPB1 directly or indirectly participates in the regulation of apoptosis, protects the cell against oxidative stress, and is involved in the regulation of the cytoskeleton. HSPB6 (HSP20) also possesses chaperone-like activity, is involved in regulation of smooth muscle contraction, has pronounced cardioprotective activity, and seems to participate in insulin-dependent regulation of muscle metabolism. HSPB8 (HSP22) prevents accumulation of aggregated proteins in the cell and participates in the regulation of proteolysis of unfolded proteins. HSPB8 also seems to be directly or indirectly involved in regulation of apoptosis and carcinogenesis, contributes to cardiac cell hypertrophy and survival and, when mutated, might be involved in development of neurodegenerative diseases. All small heat shock proteins play important "housekeeping" roles and regulate many vital processes; therefore, they are considered as attractive therapeutic targets.

Maternal exercise reduces hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in developing mouse brain

PURPOSE

Hyperthermia-induced apoptosis is mediated by mitochondrial pathway, and is temporally correlated with alterations in mitochondrial morphology in neuroepithelial cells. In addition, regular exercise up-regulates heat shock proteins (HSPs) that inhibit apoptosis. However, embryo-protective effects of maternal exercise against heat exposure during pregnancy have not been fully understood yet.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To investigate the role of maternal exercise in protecting embryos from hyperthermia, we measured apoptosis-related factors and HSPs in Hsp70 knockout mouse embryos. Pregnant mice were divided into control, exercise, hyperthermia-after-exercise, and hyperthermia groups. Where appropriate the swimming exercise was performed for 5-10 min/day from embryonic day (ED) 1 to ED 8, and hyperthermia (43°C, 5 min) was induced on ED 8. To characterise the effects of maternal exercise on apoptosis-related factors and HSPs, we performed western blotting and transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Caspase-9, -7, -3 and Bax were down-regulated in the hyperthermia-after-exercise group and Bcl-2, Hsp27 and Hsp110 were up-regulated. The number of apoptotic cells was markedly reduced in the hyperthermia-after-exercise group.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal exercise plays an important role in inhibiting apoptotic cell death in embryos against hyperthermic exposure during pregnancy.

Glutamine therapy improves outcome of in vitro and in vivo experimental colitis models

BACKGROUND

Pharmacologic doses of glutamine (GLN) can improve clinical outcome following acute illness and injury. Recent studies indicate enhanced heat shock protein (HSP) expression is a key mechanism underlying GLN's protection. However, such a link has not yet been tested in chronic inflammatory states, such as experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

Experimental colitis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats via oral 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 7 days. GLN (0.75 g/kg/d) or sham was administered to rats by oral gavage during 7-day DSS treatment. In vitro inflammatory injury was studied using YAMC colonic epithelial cells treated with varying concentrations of GLN and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α/interferon-γ).

RESULTS

Pharmacologic dose, bolus GLN attenuated DSS-induced colitis in vivo with decreased area under curve for bleeding (8.06 ± 0.87 vs 10.38 ± 0.79, P < .05) and diarrhea (6.97 ± 0.46 vs 8.53 ± 0.39, P < .05). This was associated with enhanced HSP25 and HSP70 in colonic mucosa. In vitro, GLN enhanced cell survival and reduced proapoptotic caspase3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage postcytokine injury. Cytokine-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB p65 subunit were markedly attenuated at GLN concentrations above 0.5 mmol/L. GLN increased cellular HSP25 and HSP70 in a dose-dependent manner.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate the therapeutic potential of GLN as a "pharmacologically acting nutrient" in the setting of experimental IBD. GLN sufficiency is crucial for the colonic epithelium to mount a cell-protective, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory response against inflammatory injury. The enhanced HSP expression observed following GLN treatment may be responsible for this protective effect.

Multiple protein kinases determine the phosphorylated state of the small heat shock protein, HSP27, in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

In SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, the cholinergic agonist, carbachol, stimulates phosphorylation of the small heat shock protein 27 (HSP27). Carbachol increases phosphorylation of both Ser-82 and Ser-78 while the phorbol ester, phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDB) affects only Ser-82. Muscarinic receptor activation by carbachol was confirmed by sensitivity of Ser-82 phosphorylation to hyoscyamine with no effect of nicotine or bradykinin. This response to carbachol is partially reduced by inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) with GF 109203X and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) with SB 203580. In contrast, phosphorylation produced by PDB is completely reversed by GF 109203X or CID 755673, an inhibitor of PKD. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or Akt with LY 294002 or Akti-1/2 stimulates HSP27 phosphorylation while rapamycin, which inhibits mTORC1, does not. The stimulatory effect of Akti-1/2 is reversed by SB 203580 and correlates with increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation. SH-SY5Y cells differentiated with a low concentration of PDB and basic fibroblast growth factor to a more neuronal phenotype retain carbachol-, PDB- and Akti-1/2-responsive HSP27 phosphorylation. Immunofluorescence microscopy confirms increased HSP27 phosphorylation in response to carbachol or PDB. At cell margins, PDB causes f-actin to reorganize forming lamellipodial structures from which phospho-HSP27 is segregated. The resultant phenotypic change in cell morphology is dependent upon PKC, but not PKD, activity. The major conclusion from this study is that the phosphorylated state of HSP27 in SH-SY5Y cells results from integrated signaling involving PKC, p38 MAPK and Akt.

Heat shock-induced SRSF10 dephosphorylation displays thermotolerance mediated by Hsp27

Gene regulation in response to environmental stress is critical for the survival of all organisms. From Saccharomyces cerevisiae to humans, it has been observed that splicing of mRNA precursors is repressed upon heat shock. However, a mild heat pretreatment often prevents splicing inhibition in response to a subsequent and more severe heat shock, a phenomenon called splicing thermotolerance. We have shown previously that the splicing regulator SRSF10 (formerly SRp38) is specifically dephosphorylated by the phosphatase PP1 in response to heat shock and that dephosphorylated SRSF10 is responsible for splicing repression caused by heat shock. Here we report that a mild heat shock protects SRSF10 from dephosphorylation during a second and more severe heat shock. Furthermore, this "thermotolerance" of SRSF10 phosphorylation, like that of splicing, requires de novo protein synthesis, specifically the synthesis of heat shock proteins. Indeed, overexpression of one of these proteins, Hsp27, inhibits SRSF10 dephosphorylation in response to heat shock and does so by interaction with SRSF10. Our data thus provide evidence that splicing thermotolerance is acquired through maintenance of SRSF10 phosphorylation and that this is mediated at least in part by Hsp27.

Treatment of ovine oocytes with caffeine increases the accessibility of DNase I to the donor chromatin and reduces apoptosis in somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos

Caffeine treatment of ovine oocytes increases the activity of maturation-promoting factor (MPF) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and, in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos, increases the frequency of nuclear envelope breakdown (NEBD) and premature chromosome condensation (PCC). At the blastocyst stage, caffeine-treated SCNT embryos have increased cell numbers. One explanation for this is that NEBD and PCC release chromatin-bound somatic factors, allowing greater access of oocyte factors involved in DNA synthesis and nuclear reprogramming to donor chromatin. This could advance DNA replication and cleavage in the first cell cycle, resulting in increased cell numbers. Alternatively, increased MAPK activity may affect localisation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and reduce apoptosis. To investigate these possibilities, we investigated chromatin accessibility, the timing of DNA synthesis and first cleavage, the localisation of HSP27 during early development and the frequency of apoptotic nuclei at the blastocyst stage. Compared with control SCNT (non-caffeine treatment), caffeine treatment (10 mM caffeine for 6 h prior to activation) increased the accessibility of DNase I to donor chromatin (P < 0.05 at 1.5 h post activation (h.p.a.)), advanced DNA synthesis (43.5% v. 67.6%, respectively; P < 0.01 at 6 h.p.a.) and first cleavage (27.3% v. 40.5% at 20 h.p.a., respectively) and increased nuclear localisation of HSP27. Although development to the blastocyst stage was not affected, caffeine increased total cell numbers (98.5 v. 76.6; P < 0.05) and reduced the frequency of apoptotic nuclei (11.27% v. 20.3%; P < 0.05) compared with control SCNT group.

Apigenin-induced apoptosis of leukemia cells is mediated by a bimodal and differentially regulated residue-specific phosphorylation of heat-shock protein-27

Apigenin, a natural plant flavonoid with antiproliferative activity, is emerging as a promising compound for cancer prevention and therapy, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. High expression of the small heat-shock protein-27 (Hsp27) in leukemia contributes to the resistance of these cells to cancer treatments. Changes in Hsp27 phosphorylation have been associated with heat and metabolic stress, but its role in flavonoid anticancer activity has not been investigated. In this study, we examined the effect of apigenin in the regulation of Hsp27 on leukemia. We showed that apigenin does not affect Hsp27 expression but induces a bimodal phosphorylation on Ser78 and Ser82. The phosphorylation at early times was regulated by p38. At later times, Hsp27 phosphorylation was dependent on p38 activity and for some residues on PKCδ. Silencing of p38 expression reduced apigenin-induced phosphorylation on Ser15, Ser78, and Ser82, whereas silencing of PKCδ expression reduced the phosphorylation on Ser15 and Ser82 without affecting Ser78. In addition, we found that apigenin-induced PKCδ activity is mediated by p38. We also showed that the phosphorylation of Hsp27 significantly increased the susceptibility of leukemia cells to apigenin-induced apoptosis. Together, these results identify a complex signaling network regulating the cytotoxic effect of apigenin through Hsp27 phosphorylation.

p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 promotes invasion and metastasis of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common types of human cancer and frequently metastasizes to LNs. Identifying metastasis-promoting factors is of immense clinical interest, as the prognosis for patients with even a single unilateral LN metastasis is extremely poor. Here, we report that p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2) promotes human HNSCC cell invasion and metastasis. We determined that RSK2 was overexpressed and activated in highly invasive HNSCC cell lines compared with poorly invasive cell lines. Expression of RSK2 also correlated with metastatic progression in patients with HNSCC. Ectopic expression of RSK2 substantially enhanced the invasive capacity of HNSCC cells, while inhibition of RSK2 activity led to marked attenuation of invasion in vitro. Additionally, shRNA knockdown of RSK2 substantially reduced the invasive and metastatic potential of HNSCC cells in vitro and in vivo in a xenograft mouse model, respectively. Mechanistically, we determined that cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) and Hsp27 are phosphorylated and activated by RSK2 and are important for the RSK2-mediated invasive ability of HNSCC cells. Our findings suggest that RSK2 is involved in the prometastatic programming of HNSCC cells, through phosphorylation of proteins in a putative signaling network. Moreover, targeting RSK2 markedly attenuates in vitro invasion and in vivo metastasis of HNSCC cells, suggesting that RSK2 may represent a therapeutic target in the treatment of metastatic HNSCC.

Age-related changes in HSP25 expression in basal ganglia and cortex of F344/BN rats

Normal aging is associated with chronic oxidative stress. In the basal ganglia, oxidative stress may contribute to the increased risk of Parkinson's disease in the elderly. Neurons are thought to actively utilize compensatory defense mechanisms, such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), to protect from persisting stress. Despite their protective role, little is known about HSP expression in the aging basal ganglia. The purpose of this study was to examine HSP expression in striatum, substantia nigra, globus pallidus and cortex in 6-, 18- and 30-month-old Fischer 344/Brown Norway rats. We found robust age-related increases in phosphorylated and total HSP25 in each brain region studied. Conversely, HSP72 (the inducible form of HSP70) was reduced with age, but only in the striatum. p38 MAPK, a protein implicated in activating HSP25, did not change with age, nor did HSC70 (the constitutive form of HSP70), or HSP60. These results suggest that HSP25 is especially responsive to age-related stress in the basal ganglia.

What's in a name?: Heat shock protein 27 and keratinocyte differentiation

In this issue of the Journal, Robitaille and colleagues present data supporting a role for the small heat shock protein (HSP) 27 in keratinocyte terminal differentiation. This adds to the growing literature implicating HSP27 as a regulator of biologic function beyond thermal stress response.

Heat shock protein 27 phosphorylation: kinases, phosphatases, functions and pathology

The small heat shock protein Hsp27 or its murine homologue Hsp25 acts as an ATP-independent chaperone in protein folding, but is also implicated in architecture of the cytoskeleton, cell migration, metabolism, cell survival, growth/differentiation, mRNA stabilization, and tumor progression. A variety of stimuli induce phosphorylation of serine residues 15, 78, and 82 in Hsp27 and serines 15 and 86 in Hsp25. This post-translational modification affects some of the cellular functions of Hsp25/27. As a consequence of the functional importance of Hsp25/27 phosphorylation, aberrant Hsp27 phosphorylation has been linked to several clinical conditions. This review focuses on the different Hsp25/27 kinases and phosphatases that regulate the phosphorylation pattern of Hsp25/27, and discusses the recent findings of the biological implications of these phosphorylation events in physiological and pathological processes. Novel therapeutic strategies aimed at restoring anomalous Hsp27 phosphorylation in human diseases will be presented.

Phosphoproteome study reveals Hsp27 as a novel signaling molecule involved in GDNF-induced neurite outgrowth

Glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a most potent survival factor for dopaminergic neurons. In addition, GDNF was also found to promote neurite outgrowth in dopaminergic neurons. However, despite the potential clinical and physiological importance of GDNF, its mechanism of action is unclear. Therefore, we employed a state-of-the-art proteomic technique, DIGE (Difference in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis), to quantitatively compare profiles of phosphoproteins of PC12-GFRalpha1-RET cells (that stably overexpress GDNF receptor alpha1 and RET) 0.5 and 10 h after GDNF challenge with control. A total of 92 differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified by mass spectrometry. Among them, the relative levels of phosphorylated Hsp27 increased significantly both in 0.5 and 10 h GDNF-treated PC12-GFRalpha1-RET cells. Confocal microscopy and Western blot results showed that the phosphorylation of Hsp27 after GDNF treatment was accompanied by its nuclear translocation. After the mRNA of Hsp27 was interfered, neurite outgrowth of PC12-GFRalpha1-RET cells induced by GDNF was significantly blocked. Furthermore, the percentage of neurite outgrowth induced by GDNF was also reduced by the expression of dominant-negative mutants of Hsp27, in which specific serine phosphorylation residues (Ser15, Ser78 and Ser82) were substituted with alanine. Our data also revealed that p38 MAPK and ERK are the upstream regulators of Hsp27 phosphorylation. Hence, in addition to the numerous novel proteins that are potentially important in GDNF mediated differentiation of dopaminergic cells revealed by our study, our data has indicated that Hsp27 is a novel signaling molecule involved in GDNF-induced neurite outgrowth of dopaminergic neurons.

Activation of gene transcription by heat shock protein 27 may contribute to its neuronal protection

Heat shock proteins are up-regulated as a physiological response to stressful stimuli and generally function as molecular chaperones for improperly folded protein substrates. The small heat shock protein HSP27 (or HSPB1) has multiple cytoplasmic roles. HSP27 also can translocate to the nucleus in response to stress, but the functional significance of this nuclear distribution has not been elucidated. We have previously implicated HSP27 as a genetic modifier of spinocerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA17), a neurological disease caused by a polyglutamine expansion in the TATA-binding protein (TBP). Altered expression of HSP27 is also found in cell models of other polyglutamine diseases, including Huntington disease as well as SCA3 and SCA7. Here, we show that Hsp27, unlike Hsp70, is not detected in mutant TBP aggregates in primary cerebellar granule neurons from transgenic SCA17 mice. Although HSP27 overexpression does not reduce the aggregation of cotransfected mutant TBP containing 105 glutamines, it potentiates activated transcription from both TATA-containing and TATA-lacking promoters. Neither HSP40 nor HSP70 elicits the same transcriptional effect. Moreover, HSP27 interacts with the transcription factor SP1, and coexpression of SP1 and nuclear localization signal-tagged HSP27 synergistically activates reporter constructs for the SP1-responsive neurotrophic receptor genes Ngfr(p75) and TRKA. Overexpression of nuclear localization signal-tagged HSP27 also rescues mutant TBP-mediated down-regulation of TrkA in a PC12 cell model of SCA17. These results indicate that nuclear HSP27 can modulate SP1-dependent transcriptional activity to promote neuronal protection.

Pemphigus antibody induced phosphorylation of keratinocyte proteins

The pemphigus family of autoimmune blistering diseases is characterized by an autoantibody response to desmosomal cadherins in epithelia. Autoantibodies against desmogleins, desmosome cell adhesion molecules, induce loss of cell-cell adhesion that is characterized clinically by blister formation. The mechanism by which these autoantibodies induce loss of cell-cell adhesion is under active investigation, but appears to involve a coordinated intracellular response including activation of intracellular signaling and phosphorylation of a number of proteins in the target keratinocyte. Activation of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase may have a critical role in the acantholytic mechanism as inhibitors of p38MAPK block the ability of pemphigus IgG to induce blistering in pemphigus animal models.

HSPB7 is a SC35 speckle resident small heat shock protein

BACKGROUND

The HSPB family is one of the more diverse families within the group of HSP families. Some members have chaperone-like activities and/or play a role in cytoskeletal stabilization. Some members also show a dynamic, stress-induced translocation to SC35 splicing speckles. If and how these features are interrelated and if they are shared by all members are yet unknown.

METHODS

Tissue expression data and interaction and co-regulated gene expression data of the human HSPB members was analyzed using bioinformatics. Using a gene expression library, sub-cellular distribution of the diverse members was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Chaperone activity was measured using a cellular luciferase refolding assay.

RESULTS

Online databases did not accurately predict the sub-cellular distribution of all the HSPB members. A novel and non-predicted finding was that HSPB7 constitutively localized to SC35 splicing speckles, driven by its N-terminus. Unlike HSPB1 and HSPB5, that chaperoned heat unfolded substrates and kept them folding competent, HSPB7 did not support refolding.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest a non-chaperone-like role of HSPB7 at SC35 speckles.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

The functional divergence between HSPB members seems larger than previously expected and also includes non-canonical members lacking classical chaperone-like functions.

Phosphorylation dependence of hsp27 multimeric size and molecular chaperone function

The molecular chaperone Hsp27 exists as a distribution of large oligomers that are disassembled by phosphorylation at Ser-15, -78, and -82. It is controversial whether the unphosphorylated Hsp27 or the widely used triple Ser-to-Asp phospho-mimic mutant is the more active molecular chaperone in vitro. This question was investigated here by correlating chaperone activity, as measured by the aggregation of reduced insulin or alpha-lactalbumin, with Hsp27 self-association as monitored by analytical ultracentrifugation. Furthermore, because the phospho-mimic is generally assumed to reproduce the phosphorylated molecule, the size and chaperone activity of phosphorylated Hsp27 were compared with that of the phospho-mimic. Hsp27 was triply phosphorylated by MAPKAP-2 kinase, and phosphorylation was tracked by urea-PAGE. An increasing degree of suppression of insulin or alpha-lactalbumin aggregation correlated with a decreasing Hsp27 self-association, which was the least for phosphorylated Hsp27 followed by the mimic followed by the unphosphorylated protein. It was also found that Hsp27 added to pre-aggregated insulin did not reverse aggregation but did inhibit these aggregates from assembling into even larger aggregates. This chaperone activity appears to be independent of Hsp27 phosphorylation. In conclusion, the most active chaperone of insulin and alpha-lactalbumin was the Hsp27 (elongated) dimer, the smallest Hsp27 subunit observed under physiological conditions. Next, the Hsp27 phospho-mimic is only a partial mimic of phosphorylated Hsp27, both in self-association and in chaperone function. Finally, the efficient inhibition of insulin aggregation by Hsp27 dimer led to the proposal of two models for this chaperone activity.