Glutathione S-transferase overexpression protects against anthracycline-induced H9C2 cell death

Heat shock regulates the respiration of cardiac H9c2 cells through upregulation of nitric oxide synthase

Mild and nonlethal heat shock (i.e., hyperthermia) is known to protect the myocardium and cardiomyocytes against ischemic injury. In the present study, we have shown that heat shock regulates the respiration of cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes (cardiac H9c2 cells) through activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). The respiration of cultured cardiac H9c2 cells subjected to mild heat shock at 42 degrees C for 1 h was decreased compared with that of control. The O2 concentration at which the rate of O2 consumption is reduced to 50% was increased in heat-shocked cells, indicating a lowering of O2 affinity in the mitochondria. Western blot analyses showed a fourfold increase in the expression of heat shock protein (HSP) 90 and a twofold increase in endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression in the heat-shocked cells. Immunoblots of eNOS, inducible NOS (iNOS), and neuronal NOS (nNOS) in the immunoprecipitate of HSP90 of heat-shocked cells showed that there was a sevenfold increase in eNOS and no changes in iNOS and nNOS. Confocal microscopic analysis of cells stained with the NO-specific fluorescent dye 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate showed higher levels of NO production in the heat-shocked cells than in control cells. The results indicate that heat shock-induced HSP90 forms a complex with eNOS and activates it to increase NO concentration in the cardiac H9c2 cells. The generated NO competitively binds to the complexes of the respiratory chain of the mitochondria to downregulate O2 consumption in heat-shocked cells. On the basis of these results, we conclude that myocardial protection by hyperthermia occurs at least partly by the pathway of HSP90-mediated NO production, leading to subsequent attenuation of cellular respiration.

Epithelium-mesenchyme compartment interaction and oncosis on chemotherapy-induced hair damage

It is known that chemotherapy induces alopecia in humans, with important psychological and social implications in spite of its reversibility. Among chemotherapeutic drugs, anthracyclines are widely used, yet cause severe alopecia. One of the causes for the elevated sensibility of hair follicles to anthracyclines, and to drugs in general, is the high proliferation rate of follicular epithelium and the long duration of the growth phase (up to 7 years in humans). To clarify the mechanism of anthracycline toxicity, we used a rat model and focused our attention on the morphological alterations in hair follicles induced by doxorubicin. We observed the progression of hair follicle degeneration in the epithelial and mesenchymal compartments until alopecia arose, by both light and electron microscopy. As a first sign of damage, significant apoptosis was detected in the proximal perifollicular connective tissue sheath and sporadically in the matrix, near the interface between matrix and follicular papilla. We propose the apoptotic remodeling of the mesenchymal compartment as a process that is fundamental to the progression of events leading to alopecia. Regarding the epithelial compartment, it is important to note that oncosis was observed in a large number of follicular cells in the outer root sheath during the last stages of hair follicle regression. This indicates that oncosis is involved in a major way in the damage of epithelial cells.