GRP94 reduces cell death in SH-SY5Y cells perturbated calcium homeostasis

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident-94 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP94), plays a pivotal role in cell death due to ER stress. In our study expression of GRP94 was increased in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells due to exposure to calcium ionophore A23187. A23187-mediated cell death was associated with activation of the major cysteine proteases, caspase-3 and calpain. Pretreatment with adenovirus-mediated antisense GRP94 (AdGRP94AS) reduced viability of SH-SY5Y cells subjected to A23187 treatment compared with wild type cells or cells with adenovirus-mediated overexpression of GRP94 (AdGRP94S). These results indicated that suppression of GRP94 is associated with accelerated cell death. Moreover, expression of GRP94 suppressed A23187-induced cell death and stabilized calcium homeostasis.