Apoptosis Versus Cell Differentiation: Role of Heat Shock Proteins HSP90, HSP70 and HSP27

Heat shock proteins HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90 are molecular chaperones whose expression is increased after many different types of stress. They have a protective function helping the cell to cope with lethal conditions. The cytoprotective function of HSPs is largely explained by their anti-apoptotic function. HSPs have been shown to interact with different key apoptotic proteins. As a result, HSPs can block essentially all apoptotic pathways, most of them involving the activation of cystein proteases called caspases. Apoptosis and differentiation are physiological processes that share many common features, for instance, chromatin condensation and the activation of caspases are frequently observed. It is, therefore, not surprising that many recent reports imply HSPs in the differentiation process. This review will comment on the role of HSP90, HSP70 and HSP27 in apoptosis and cell differentiation. HSPs may determine de fate of the cells by orchestrating the decision of apoptosis versus differentiation.Key Words: apoptosis, differentiation, heat shock proteins, chaperones, cancer cells, anticancer drugs     

Heat shock proteins in hematopoietic malignancies

Inducible heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones whose expression is increased after many different types of stress. They have a protective function helping the cell to cope with lethal conditions. Their basal expression is low in nonstressed, normal and nontransformed cells. However, in cancer cells and particularly in hematological malignancies, they are surprisingly abundant. Malignant cells have to rewire their metabolic requirements and therefore have a higher need for chaperones. This cancer cell addiction for HSPs is the basis for the use of HSP inhibitors in cancer therapy. HSPs have been shown to interact with different key apoptotic proteins. As a result, HSPs can essentially block the apoptotic pathways at several steps, most of them involving the activation of cystein proteases called caspases. Apoptosis and differentiation are physiological processes that share many common features, for instance, a controlled caspase activation and chromatin condensation are frequently observed. It is, therefore, not surprising that HSPs may be implicated in the differentiation process. HSPs may determine the fate of the cells by orchestrating the decision of apoptosis versus differentiation. This review will focus on the role of HSPs in hematological malignancies and the emerging therapeutic options that are being either proposed or used to target these protective proteins.     

几种热激蛋白在细胞凋亡信号通路中的调控作用

热激蛋白(heat shock proteins, HSPs)作为进化保守的蛋白家族 之一,普遍存在于各种生物体中,并在生物体内发挥着重要的生理功能.大 量的实验证据表明,热激蛋白与细胞凋亡密切相关,参与细胞凋亡信号通 路的多个环节. 近年来有关该领域的研究已获得了重要的突破与进展.一方 面,热激蛋白主要起着抑制细胞凋亡、促进细胞存活的作用;另一方面, 某些热激蛋白又能够作为凋亡蛋白的分子伴侣,促进细胞凋亡,比如HSP70 能够激活DNase来促使细胞凋亡,线粒体内HSP60能够促进caspase依赖的细 胞凋亡途径.本文在阐明细胞凋亡信号通路的基础上,综述了近年来几种不 同热激蛋白家族（HSP90、 HSP70 、HSP60和小分子HSPs）在细胞凋亡调控 中作用的研究进展,重点阐述了几种主要热激蛋白与细胞凋亡信号通路上 相关因子的相互作用,并绘制了热激蛋白在细胞凋亡信号通路中的调控图 ,为进一步完善细胞凋亡调控网络研究提供一定的参考.     

The protective role of HSP90 against 3-hydroxykynurenine-induced neuronal apoptosis

3-hydroxykynurenine (3HK), an endogenous metabolite of tryptophan in the kynurenine pathway, is a potential neurotoxin in several neurodegenerative disorders. Stabilizing protein structure, heat shock proteins (HSPs) have diverse roles as molecular chaperones to mediate stress tolerance. In the present study, we investigated the possible protective role of HSPs against 3HK induced neuronal cell death. Here we report that 3HK induced in a dose- and time-dependent manner neuronal cell death in neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The cell death showed characteristic apoptotic features such as cell shrinkage, plasma membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, and nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Furthermore, SK-N-SN cells were protected from 3HK induced cytotoxicity by prior elevation of HSPs expression. Our results show that the protective effect was abolished by HSP90 anti-sense oligonucleotides while not by HSP27 and HSP70 anti-sense oligonucleotides. Also, our result shows that HSP90 effectively inhibits caspases activities leading to the apoptosis. These results suggest that 3HK induces apoptosis in neuroblastoma SK-N-SN cells and that HSP90 is major contributing protein component of protection against 3HK induced apoptosis.     

The heat shock protein 70 inhibitor VER155008 suppresses the expression of HSP27, HOP and HSP90β and the androgen receptor,induces apoptosis,and attenuates prostate cancer cell growth

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are molecular chaperones that play a pivotal role in correct folding, stabilization and intracellular transport of many client proteins including those involved in oncogenesis. HSP70, which is frequently overexpressed in prostate cancer (PCa), has been shown to critically contribute to tumor cell survival, and might therefore represent a potential therapeutic target. We treated both the androgen receptor (AR)-positive LNCaP and the AR-negative PC-3 cell lines with the pharmacologic HSP70 inhibitor VER155008. Although we observed antiproliferative effects and induction of apoptosis upon HSP70 inhibition, the apoptotic effect was more pronounced in AR-positive LNCaP cells. In addition, VER155008 treatment induced G1 cell cycle arrest in LNCaP cells and decreased AR expression. Further analysis of the HSP system by Western blot analysis revealed that expression of HSP27, HOP and HSP90β was significantly inhibited by VER155008 treatment, whereas the HSP40, HSP60, and HSP90α expression remained unchanged. Taken together, VER155008 might serve as a novel therapeutic option in PCa patients independent of the AR expression status.     

HSP27 and HSP70: Potentially Oncogenic Apoptosis Inhibitors

Stress or heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP27 and HSP70 are expressed in response to a wide variety of physiological and environmental insults including heat, reactive oxygen species or anticancer drugs. Their overexpression allows cells to survive to otherwise lethal conditions. Several different mechanisms may account for the cytoprotective activity of HSP27 and HSP70. First, both proteins are powerful chaperones. Second, both inhibit key effectors of the apoptotic machinery including the apoptosome, the caspase activation complex (both HSP27 and HSP70), and apoptosis inducing factor (only HSP70). Third, they both play a role in the proteasome-mediated degradation of apoptosis-regulatory proteins. HSP27 and HSP70 may participate in oncogenesis, as suggested by the fact that overexpression of heat shock proteins can increase the tumorigenic potential of tumor cells. The down-regulation or selective inhibition of HSP70 might constitute a valuable strategy for the treatment of cancer.     

HSP27 and HSP70: potentially oncogenic apoptosis inhibitors

Stress or heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP27 and HSP70 are expressed in response to a wide variety of physiological and environmental insults including heat, reactive oxygen species or anticancer drugs. Their overexpression allows cells to survive to otherwise lethal conditions. Several different mechanisms may account for the cytoprotective activity of HSP27 and HSP70. First, both proteins are powerful chaperones. Second, both inhibit key effectors of the apoptotic machinery including the apoptosome, the caspase activation complex (both HSP27 and HSP70), and apoptosis inducing factor (only HSP70). Third, they both play a role in the proteasome-mediated degradation of apoptosis-regulatory proteins. HSP27 and HSP70 may participate in oncogenesis, as suggested by the fact that overexpression of heat shock proteins can increase the tumorigenic potential of tumor cells. The down-regulation or selective inhibition of HSP70 might constitute a valuable strategy for the treatment of cancer.     

Translocation of cytoplasmic HSP70 onto the surface of EL-4 cells during apoptosis

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are involved in a variety of intracellular processes and can have both pro- and anti-apoptotic action. However, little is known about the role of HSPs in the progression of apoptosis. Translocation of HSPs to the surface of apoptotic cells is a previously observed phenomenon demonstrating participation of these proteins in execution of the terminal stages of apoptosis. In a previous study we showed that development of EL-4 lymphoma cell apoptosis in vitro is accompanied by elevation of surface HSP expression. In this study we used this model to analyse the relationship of HSP70 expression and its translocation to the cell surface during apoptosis with some key intracellular events. Our data demonstrate a synchronization of surface and intracellular HSP70 expression with bcl-2 expression, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and caspase-3 activity. A maximum level of surface and intracellular HSP70 expression was observed at an irreversible phase of EL-4 cell apoptosis after mitochondrial potential depolarization. In addition, an enhancement of the relative level of cytoplasmic HSP70 translocation to the cell surface was concomitant with EL-4 cell apoptosis. However, the size of surface and intracellular pools of HSP70, increasing for initial and intermediate stages of cell death, decreased at the terminal phase of apoptosis. Western blot analysis of HSP70 in conditioned supernatant obtained from EL-4 cell tissue showed that the observed decrease of HSP70 cell content might be due to surface HSP70 shedding into the intercellular space.     

HSP105 interacts with GRP78 and GSK3 and promotes ER stress-induced caspase-3 activation

Stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress) is caused by the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which occurs in many neurodegenerative diseases. ER stress can lead to adaptive responses or apoptosis, both of which follow activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Heat shock proteins (HSP) support the folding and function of many proteins, and are important components of the ER stress response, but little is known about the role of one of the major large HSPs, HSP105. We identified several new partners of HSP105, including glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3), a promoter of ER stress-induced apoptosis, and GRP78, a key component of the UPR. Knockdown of HSP105 did not alter UPR signaling after ER stress, but blocked caspase-3 activation after ER stress. In contrast, caspase-3 activation induced by genotoxic stress was unaffected by knockdown of HSP105, suggesting ER stress-specificity in the apoptotic action of HSP105. However, knockdown of HSP105 did not alter cell survival after ER stress, but instead diverted signaling to a caspase-3-independent cell death pathway, indicating that HSP105 is necessary for apoptotic signaling after UPR activation by ER stress. Thus, HSP105 appears to chaperone the responses to ER stress through its interactions with GRP78 and GSK3, and without HSP105 cell death following ER stress proceeds by a non-caspase-3-dependent process.     

Heat shock proteins: endogenous modulators of apoptotic cell death

The highly conserved heat shock proteins (HSPs) accumulate in cells exposed to heat and a variety of other stressful stimuli. HSPs, which function mainly as molecular chaperones, allow cells to adapt to gradual changes in their environment and to survive in otherwise lethal conditions. The events of cell stress and cell death are linked and HSPs induced in response to stress appear to function at key regulatory points in the control of apoptosis. HSPs include antiapoptotic and proapoptotic proteins that interact with a variety of cellular proteins. Their expression level can determine the fate of the cell in response to a death stimulus, and apoptosis-inhibitory HSPs, in particular HSP27 and HSP70, may participate in carcinogenesis. This review summarizes apoptosis-regulatory function of HSPs.     

Spontaneous apoptosis and expression of cell surface heat-shock proteins in cultured EL-4 lymphoma cells

Abstract. The expression of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) is enhanced in stressed cells and can protect cells from stress-induced injury. However, existing data about the relationship between apoptosis and HSP expression is contradictory. In this paper, a mouse lymphoma cell death model system is used to detect simultaneously both the process of apoptosis and the level of HSP expression. The model was established after discovering that spontaneous apoptosis and spontaneous cell surface HSP expression occurs in EL-4 mouse lymphoma cells during normal optimal culture conditions. The data show that apoptotic EL-4 cells had higher levels of hsp25, hsp60, hsp70 and hsp90 exposed on the plasma membrane surface than viable cells. The level of surface HSPs was found to increase through several stages of early and late apoptotic death as measured by flow cytometry, with the highest levels observed during the loss of cell membrane phospholipid asymmetry. Heat shock and actinomycin D significantly increased the proportion of apoptotic cells in culture. However, hyperthermia only stimulated a weak and temporary increase in surface HSP expression, whereas actinomycin D strongly elevated the level of surface and intracellular HSPs, particularly in live cells. These results show an associative relationship between apoptosis and HSP expression. The relationship between the progression of cell death and HSP expression suggests a role for membrane HSP expression in programmed cell death.     

HSP70 interacts with TRAF2 and differentially regulates TNFα signalling in human colon cancer cells

Members of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) family usually trigger both survival and apoptotic signals in various cell types. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are conserved proteins implicated in protection of cells from stress stimuli. However, the mechanisms of HSPs in TNFα‐induced signalling pathway have not been fully elucidated. We report here that HSP70 over‐expression in human colon cancer cells can inhibit TNFα‐induced NFκB activation but promote TNFα‐induced activation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) through interaction with TNF receptor (TNFR)‐associated factor 2 (TRAF2). We provide evidence that HSP70 over‐expression can sequester TRAF2 in detergent‐soluble fractions possibly through interacting with TRAF2, leading to reduced recruitment of receptor‐interacting protein (RIP1) and IκBα kinase (IKK) signalosome to the TNFR1–TRADD complex and inhibited NFκB activation after TNFα stimuli. In addition, we found that HSP70–TRAF2 interaction can promote TNFα‐induced JNK activation. Therefore, our study suggests that HSP70 may differentially regulate TNFα‐induced activation of NFκB and JNK through interaction with TRAF2, contributing to the pro‐apoptotic roles of HSP70 in TNFα‐induced apoptosis of human colon cancer cells.     

Chaperones in cell cycle regulation and mitogenic signal transduction: a review

Chaperones/heat shock proteins (HSPs) of the HSP90 and HSP70 families show elevated levels in proliferating mammalian cells and a cell cycle-dependent expression. They transiently associate with key molecules of the cell cycle control system such as Cdk4, Wee-1, pRb, p53, p27/Kip1 and are involved in the nuclear localization of regulatory proteins. They also associate with viral oncoproteins such as SV40 super T, large T and small t antigen, polyoma large and middle S antigen and EpsteinBarr virus nuclear antigen. This association is based on a J-domain in the viral proteins and may assist their targeting to the pRb/E2F complex. Small HSPs and their state of phosphorylation and oligomerization also seem to be involved in proliferation and differentiation. Chaperones/HSPs thus play important roles within cell cycle processes. Their exact functioning, however, is still a matter of discussion. HSP90 in particular, but also HSP70 and other chaperones associate with proteins of the mitogen-activated signal cascade, particularly with the Src kinase, with tyrosine receptor kinases, with Raf and the MAP-kinase activating kinase (MEK). This apparently serves the folding and translocation of these proteins, but possibly also the formation of large immobilized complexes of signal transducing molecules (scaffolding function).     

热休克蛋白对细胞凋亡的调控作用

热休克蛋白属于细胞内分子伴侣蛋白,除涉及细胞内一些蛋白质分子构象和稳定性的调节之外,热休克蛋白对细胞应激、代谢、增殖以及凋亡等生理过程均具有重要的调控作用。研究表明热休克蛋白对细胞凋亡的调控机制是复杂的,可直接作用于与凋亡相关的蛋白质,也可以通过影响细胞信号传递而间接影响凋亡的发生。由于热休克蛋白对细胞凋亡的调控机制大多依赖于其分子伴侣功能,阻断热休克蛋白的伴侣功能已经成为研究药物诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡的重要靶点。     

Heat shock proteins in oncology: Diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets?

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are a family of proteins induced in cells exposed to different insults. This induction of HSPs allows cells to survive stress conditions. Mammalian HSPs have been classified into six families according to their molecular size: HSP100, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, HSP40 and small HSPs (15 to 30kDa) including HSP27. These proteins act as molecular chaperones either helping in the refolding of misfolded proteins or assisting in their elimination if they become irreversibly damaged. In recent years, proteomic studies have characterized several different HSPs in various tumor types which may be putative clinical biomarkers or molecular targets for cancer therapy. This has led to the development of a series of molecules capable of inhibiting HSPs. Numerous studies speculated that over-expression of HSP is in part responsible for resistance to many anti-tumor agents and chemotherapeutics. Hence, from a pharmacological point of view, the co-administration of HSP inhibitors together with other anti-tumor agents is of major importance in overcoming therapeutic resistance. In this review, we provide an overview of the current status of HSPs in autoimmune, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases with special emphasis on cancer.     

HSP25 down-regulation enhanced p53 acetylation by dissociation of SIRT1 from p53 in doxorubicin-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play important roles in cellular stress resistance. Previous reports had already suggested that HSP27 played multiple roles in preventing doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Although HSP25 might have biological functions similar to its human homolog HSP27, the mechanism of HSP25 is still unclear in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. To investigate HSP25 biological function on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, flow cytometry was employed to analyze cell apoptosis in over-expressing HSP25 H9c2 cells in presence of doxorubicin. Unexpectedly, the H9c2 cells of over-expressing HSP25 have no protective effect on doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. Moreover, no detectable interactions were detected by coimmunoprecipitation between HSP25 and cytochrome c, and HSP25 over-expression failed in preventing cytochrome c release induced by doxorubicin. However, down-regulation of endogenous HSP25 by a specific small hairpin RNA aggravates apoptosis in H9c2 cells. Subsequent studies found that HSP25, but not HSP90, HSP70, and HSP20, interacted with SIRT1. Knockdown of HSP25 decreased the interaction between SIRT1 and p53, leading to increased p53 acetylation on K379, up-regulated pro-apoptotic Bax protein expression, induced cytochrome c release, and triggered caspase-3 and caspase-9 activation. These findings indicated a novel mechanism by which HSP25 regulated p53 acetylation through dissociation of SIRT1 from p53 in doxorubicin-induced H9c2 cell apoptosis.     

Differential localization of heat shock proteins 90, 70, 60 and 27 in human decidua and placenta during pregnancy

Little is known about the localization of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the decidua and placenta during the course of normal pregnancy. In this study, we have examined the localization of the HSPs in decidual and placental tissues obtained from women during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy (five in each trimester) by immunohistochemistry using highly specific antisera. HSPs 90, 70, 60 and 27 were detected in decidual stromal cells during each trimester. The intensity of staining did not change during gestation for HSPs 60 and 27, whereas it decreased with advancing gestation for HSPs 90 and 70. HSPs 90 and 60 were localized primarily in the nucleus, whereas HSP 70 was present equally in the nucleus and the cytoplasm; HSP 27 was primarily in the cytoplasm. In the placenta, HSPs 90, 70 and 60 were localized in cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, intermediate trophoblast, Hofbauer and endothelial cells. HSPs 90 and 60 were localized primarily in the nucleus, while HSP 70 was in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. In the placenta, HSP 27 was detected only in the intermediate trophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast cells and only in the first two trimesters. These results indicate that there are striking differences in the subcellular localization of HSPs in the decidua and the placenta during normal pregnancy.     

PROGRESS STUDY: Progression of chronic kidney disease in children and heat shock proteins

Various molecular and cellular processes are involved in renal fibrosis, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial cell injury, and apoptosis. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are implicated in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our aim was to evaluate changes in urine and serum HSP levels over time and their relationships with the clinical parameters of CKD in children. In total, 117 children with CKD and 56 healthy children were examined. The CKD group was followed up prospectively for 24 months. Serum and urine HSP27, HSP40, HSP47, HSP60, HSP70, HSP72, and HSP90 levels and serum anti-HSP60 and anti-HSP70 levels were measured by ELISA at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months. The urine levels of all HSPs and the serum levels of HSP40, HSP47, HSP60, HSP70, anti-HSP60, and anti-HSP70 were higher at baseline in the CKD group than in the control group. Over the months, serum HSP47 and HSP60 levels steadily decreased, whereas HSP90 and anti-HSP60 levels steadily increased. Urine HSP levels were elevated in children with CKD; however, with the exception of HSP90, they decreased over time. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that CKD progression is a complicated process that involves HSPs, but they do not predict CKD progression. The protective role of HSPs against CKD may weaken over time, and HSP90 may have a detrimental effect on the disease course.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12192-021-01239-9.     

Heat shock protein 25 or inducible heat shock protein 70 activates heat shock factor 1: dephosphorylation on serine 307 through inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation

The expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) is known to be increased via activation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), and excess expression of HSPs exerts feedback inhibition of HSF1. However, the molecular mechanism to modulate such relationships between HSPs and HSF1 is not clear. In the present study, we show that stable transfection of either Hsp25 or inducible Hsp70 (Hsp70i) increased expression of endogenous HSPs such as HSP25 and HSP70i through HSF1 activation. However, these phenomena were abolished when the dominant negative Hsf1 mutant was transfected to HSP25 or HSP70i overexpressed cells. Moreover, the increased HSF1 activity by either HSP25 or HSP70i was found to result from dephosphorylation of HSF1 on serine 307 that increased the stability of HSF1. Either HSP25 or HSP70i inhibited ERK1/2 phosphorylation because of increased MKP1 phosphorylation by direct interaction of these HSPs with MKP1. Treatment of HOS and NCI-H358 cells, which showed high expressions of endogenous HSF1, with small interfering RNA (siRNA) of either HSP27 (siHSP27)or HSP70i (siHSP70i) inhibited both HSP27 and HSP70i proteins; this was because of increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and serine phosphorylation of HSF1. The results, therefore, suggested that when the HSF1 protein level was high in cancer cells, excess expression of HSP27 or HSP70i strongly facilitates the expression of HSP proteins through HSF1 activation, resulting in severe radio- or chemoresistance.     

Preferential translation of heat shock mRNAs in HeLa cells deficient in protein synthesis initiation factors eIF-4E and eIF-4 gamma.

Expression of antisense RNA against eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E) in HeLa cells causes a reduction in the levels of both eIF-4E and eIF-4 gamma (p220) and a concomitant decrease in the rates of both cell growth and protein synthesis (De Benedetti, A., Joshi-Barve, S., Rinker-Schaffer, C., and Rhoads, R. E. (1991) Mol. Cell Biol. 11, 5435-5445). The synthesis of most proteins in the antisense RNA-expressing cells (AS cells) is decreased, but certain proteins continue to be synthesized. In the present study, we identified many of these as stress-inducible or heat shock proteins (HSPs). By mobilities on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by reactivity with monoclonal antibodies generated against human HSPs, four of these were shown to be HSP 90, HSP 70, HSP 65, and HSP 27. The steady-state levels of HSP 90, 70, and 27 were elevated in relation to total protein in AS cells. Pulse labeling and immunoprecipitation indicated that HSP 90 and HSP 70 were synthesized more rapidly in AS cells than in control cells. The accelerated synthesis of HSPs in the AS cells was not due, however, to increased mRNA levels; the levels of HSP 90 and 70 mRNAs either remained the same or decreased after induction of antisense RNA expression. Actin mRNA, a typical cellular mRNA, was found on high polysomes in control cells but shifted to smaller polysomes in AS cells, as expected from the general decrease in translational initiation caused by eIF-4E and eIF-4 gamma depletion. HSP 90 and 70 mRNAs showed the opposite behavior; they were associated with small polysomes in control cells but shifted to higher polysomes in AS cells. These results demonstrate that HSP mRNAs have little or no requirement in vivo for the cap-recognition machinery and suggest that these mRNAs may utilize an alternative, cap-independent mechanism of translational initiation.