Vl. Gabai et al., SPONTANEOUS OVEREXPRESSION OF HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS IN EHRLICH ASCITES-CARCINOMA CELLS DURING IN-VIVO GROWTH, Biochemistry and molecular biology international, 35(1), 1995, pp. 95-102
Ehrlich carcinoma (EC) cells isolated from mice at different phases of
ascites growth were exposed to hyperthermia (44 degrees C), or oxidat
ive stress (hydrogen peroxide or vikasol), or ATP depletion induced by
rotenone. These exposures caused protein aggregation and rapid necrot
ic death in exponentially growing EC cells. On the contrary, the same
cell culture at stationary phase of growth became considerably more re
sistant to all the above cytotoxic treatments, and the level of aggreg
ated protein was significantly lower in stressed stationary EC cells t
han that in exponential ones. Comparative immunoblotting has revealed
the unexpected expression of inducible 70 kDa heat-shock protein form
(HSP68), as well as accumulation of HSP27 and HSP90 in the thermo- and
drug-resistant stationary EC cells. It is suggested that the in vivo
occurring HSP overexpression in stationary EC cells is an adaptive mod
ulation of the tumor cell phenotype to maintain the viability of ascit
es EC cells under chronic deficiency of oxygen and nutrients.