Hsp70 suppresses apoptosis in sympathetic neurones by preventing the activation of c-Jun

J Neurochem. 2008 Jan;104(1):271-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.05006.x. Epub 2007 Oct 30.

Abstract

The anti-apoptotic effects of heat-shock protein (Hsp70) were assessed in SCG neurones following nerve growth factor (NGF) withdrawal. The results showed that the virally mediated expression of Hsp70 mirrored the effects of the c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) binding domain (JBD) of JNK interacting protein (an inhibitor of JNK and c-Jun activation) and suppressed the phosphorylation of c-Jun. Preventing c-Jun transcriptional activity subsequently led to reduced cytochrome c release and prevented caspase activation as indicated by a decrease in poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP) cleavage. Together, these results show that Hsp70 is a highly effective inhibitor of apoptosis in sympathetic neurones and that it mediates this effect primarily by suppressing c-Jun transcriptional signalling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Apoptosis / physiology*
  • Cell Survival
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cytochromes c / metabolism
  • Enzyme Activation
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Nerve Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Neurons / physiology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / metabolism*
  • Pyrophosphatases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Superior Cervical Ganglion / cytology*
  • Transfection / methods

Substances

  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Cytochromes c
  • Nerve Growth Factor
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • ADP-ribose pyrophosphatase I
  • Pyrophosphatases