Isolation and characterization of a human heart cDNA encoding a new member of the small heat shock protein family--HSPL27

The Role of Small Heat Shock Proteins in Protein Misfolding Associated Motoneuron Diseases

Motoneuron diseases (MNDs) are neurodegenerative conditions associated with death of upper and/or lower motoneurons (MNs). Proteostasis alteration is a pathogenic mechanism involved in many MNDs and is due to the excessive presence of misfolded and aggregated proteins. Protein misfolding may be the product of gene mutations, or due to defects in the translation process, or to stress agents; all these conditions may alter the native conformation of proteins making them prone to aggregate. Alternatively, mutations in members of the protein quality control (PQC) system may determine a loss of function of the proteostasis network. This causes an impairment in the capability to handle and remove aberrant or damaged proteins. The PQC system consists of the degradative pathways, which are the autophagy and the proteasome, and a network of chaperones and co-chaperones. Among these components, Heat Shock Protein 70 represents the main factor in substrate triage to folding, refolding, or degradation, and it is assisted in this task by a subclass of the chaperone network, the small heat shock protein (sHSPs/HSPBs) family. HSPBs take part in proteostasis by bridging misfolded and aggregated proteins to the HSP70 machinery and to the degradative pathways, facilitating refolding or clearance of the potentially toxic proteins. Because of its activity against proteostasis alteration, the chaperone system plays a relevant role in the protection against proteotoxicity in MNDs. Here, we discuss the role of HSPBs in MNDs and which HSPBs may represent a valid target for therapeutic purposes.

Insights on Human Small Heat Shock Proteins and Their Alterations in Diseases

The family of the human small Heat Shock Proteins (HSPBs) consists of ten members of chaperones (HSPB1-HSPB10), characterized by a low molecular weight and capable of dimerization and oligomerization forming large homo- or hetero-complexes. All HSPBs possess a highly conserved centrally located α-crystallin domain and poorly conserved N- and C-terminal domains. The main feature of HSPBs is to exert cytoprotective functions by preserving proteostasis, assuring the structural maintenance of the cytoskeleton and acting in response to cellular stresses and apoptosis. HSPBs take part in cell homeostasis by acting as holdases, which is the ability to interact with a substrate preventing its aggregation. In addition, HSPBs cooperate in substrates refolding driven by other chaperones or, alternatively, promote substrate routing to degradation. Notably, while some HSPBs are ubiquitously expressed, others show peculiar tissue-specific expression. Cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle and neurons show high expression levels for a wide variety of HSPBs. Indeed, most of the mutations identified in HSPBs are associated to cardiomyopathies, myopathies, and motor neuropathies. Instead, mutations in HSPB4 and HSPB5, which are also expressed in lens, have been associated with cataract. Mutations of HSPBs family members encompass base substitutions, insertions, and deletions, resulting in single amino acid substitutions or in the generation of truncated or elongated proteins. This review will provide an updated overview of disease-related mutations in HSPBs focusing on the structural and biochemical effects of mutations and their functional consequences.

Elucidation of Diverse Physico-Chemical Parameters in Mammalian Small Heat Shock Proteins: A Comprehensive Classification and Structural and Functional Exploration Using In Silico Approach

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs), often known as molecular chaperones, are most prevalent in nature. Under certain stress-induced conditions, these sHSPs act as an ATP-independent variation and thus prevent the inactivation of various non-native substrate proteins and their aggregation. They also assist other ATP-dependent chaperones in the refolding of these substrates. In the case of prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes, the chaperone functions of sHSPs can bind a wide range of cellular proteins but preferentially protect translation-related proteins and metabolic enzymes. Eukaryotes usually encode a larger number of sHSPs than those of prokaryotes. The chaperone functions of mammalian sHSPs are regulated by phosphorylation in cells and also by temperature. Their sHSPs have different sub-cellular compartments and cell/tissue specificity. The substrate proteins of mammalian sHSPs or eukaryotic sHSPs accordingly reflect their multi-cellular complexity. The sHSPs of animals play roles in different physiological processes as cell differentiation, apoptosis, and longevity. In this work, the characterization, location, tissue specificity, and functional diversity of sHSPs from seven different mammalian species with special emphasis on humans have been studied. Through this extensive work, a novel and significant attempt have been made to classify them based on their omnipresence, tissue specificity, localization, secondary structure, probable mutations, and evolutionary significance.

Heat shock protein beta 3 (HSPB3) is an unfavorable molecular biomarker in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) participate in numerous cellular functions including cell signaling, differentiation, and apoptosis. Deregulation of the physiological expression level of sHSPs has been associated with several malignancies. Heat shock protein beta 3 (HSPB3) is the third member of the sHSP family in human and is mainly expressed in skeletal and smooth muscles. In this study, we investigated the potential prognostic significance of HSPB3 expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma, the most frequent type of colorectal cancer. For this purpose, we isolated total RNA from 188 colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens and 68 paired noncancerous ones. After reverse transcription of 2 μg total RNA, we quantified HSPB3 levels by using an in-house-developed real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction method, based on the SYBR Green chemistry. Comparison of HSPB3 levels among 68 pairs of colorectal tumors and their adjacent noncancerous mucosae uncovered the downregulation of HSPB3 expression in the majority of malignant colorectal tumors. More importantly, high HSPB3 expression is associated with poor relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that HSPB3 overexpression could serve as an adverse prognostic biomarker in colorectal adenocarcinoma, independent of tumor location, histological grade, and TNM stage. Patients' stratification according to tumor location, histological grade, and TNM stage revealed that high HSPB3 messenger RNA expression retains its unfavorable prognostic potential regarding OS, in particular groups of patients with substantially different prognosis. In conclusion, high HSPB3 expression is associated with poor RFS and OS of patients with colorectal adenocarcioma, independently of clinicopathological prognosticators.

Small heat shock protein B3 (HSPB3) mutation in an axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease family

Heat shock protein B3 (HSPB3) gene encodes a small heat-shock protein 27-like protein which has a high sequence homology with HSPB1. A mutation in the HSPB3 was reported as the putative underlying cause of distal hereditary motor neuropathy 2C (dHMN2C) in 2010. We identified a heterozygous mutation (c.352T>C, p.Tyr118His) in the HSPB3 from a Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2 (CMT2) family by the method of targeted next generation sequencing. The mutation was located in the well conserved alpha-crystalline domain, and several in silico predictions indicated a pathogenic effect of the mutation. Clinical and electrophysiological features of the patients indicated the axonal type of CMT. Clinical symptoms without sensory involvements were similar between the present family and the previous family. Mutations in the HSPB1 and HSPB8 genes have been reported to be relevant with both types of CMT2 and dHMN. Our findings will help in the molecular diagnosis of CMT2 by expanding the phenotypic range due to the HSPB3 mutations.

Genome-Wide Gene-Potassium Interaction Analyses on Blood Pressure: The GenSalt Study (Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity)

BACKGROUND

Gene-environmental interaction analysis can identify novel genetic factors for blood pressure (BP). We performed genome-wide analyses to identify genomic loci that interact with potassium to influence BP using single-marker (1 and 2 df joint tests) and gene-based tests among Chinese participants of the GenSalt study (Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Among 1876 GenSalt participants, the average of 3 urine samples was used to estimate potassium excretion. Nine BP measurements were taken using a random-zero sphygmomanometer. A total of 2.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms were imputed using Affymetrix 6.0 genotype data and the Chinese Han of Beijing and Japanese of Tokyo HapMap reference panel. Promising findings (P<1.00×10-4) from GenSalt were evaluated for replication among 775 Chinese participants of the MESA (Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Single nucleotide polymorphism and gene-based results were meta-analyzed across the GenSalt and MESA studies to determine genome-wide significance. The 1 df tests identified interactions for ARL15 rs16882447 on systolic BP (P=2.83×10-9) and RANBP3L rs958929 on pulse pressure (P=1.58×10-8). The 2 df tests confirmed the ARL15 rs16882447 signal for systolic BP (P=1.15×10-9). Genome-wide gene-based analysis identified CC2D2A (P=2.59×10-7) at 4p15.32 and BNC2 (P=4.49×10-10) at 9p22.2 for systolic BP, GGNBP1 (P=1.18×10-8), and LINC00336 (P=1.36×10-8) at 6p21 for diastolic BP, DAB1 (P=1.05×10-13) at 1p32.2, and MIR4466 (P=5.34×10-8) at 6q25.3 for pulse pressure. The BNC2 (P=3.57×10-8) gene was also significant for mean arterial pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified 2 novel BP loci and 6 genes through the examination of single nucleotide polymorphism- and gene-based interactions with potassium.

An interaction study in mammalian cells demonstrates weak binding of HSPB2 to BAG3, which is regulated by HSPB3 and abrogated by HSPB8

The ten mammalian small heat shock proteins (sHSPs/HSPBs) show a different expression profile, although the majority of them are abundant in skeletal and cardiac muscles. HSPBs form hetero-oligomers and homo-oligomers by interacting together and complexes containing, e.g., HSPB2/HSPB3 or HSPB1/HSPB5 have been documented in mammalian cells and muscles. Moreover, HSPB8 associates with the Hsc70/Hsp70 co-chaperone BAG3, in mammalian, skeletal, and cardiac muscle cells. Interaction of HSPB8 with BAG3 regulates its stability and function. Weak association of HSPB5 and HSPB6 with BAG3 has been also reported upon overexpression in cells, supporting the idea that BAG3 might indirectly modulate the function of several HSPBs. However, it is yet unknown whether other HSPBs highly expressed in muscles such as HSPB2 and HSPB3 also bind to BAG3. Here, we report that in mammalian cells, upon overexpression, HSPB2 binds to BAG3 with an affinity weaker than HSPB8. HSPB2 competes with HSPB8 for binding to BAG3. In contrast, HSPB3 negatively regulates HSPB2 association with BAG3. In human myoblasts that express HSPB2, HSPB3, HSPB8, and BAG3, the latter interacts selectively with HSPB8. Combining these data, it supports the interpretation that HSPB8-BAG3 is the preferred interaction.

Heat shock protein 27: its potential role in vascular disease

Heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones that have an ability to protect proteins from damage induced by environmental factors such as free radicals, heat, ischaemia and toxins, allowing denatured proteins to adopt their native configuration. Heat shock protein-27 (Hsp27) is a member of the small Hsp (sHsp) family of proteins, and has a molecular weight of approximately 27 KDa. In addition to its role as a chaperone, it has also been reported to have many additional functions. These include effects on the apoptotic pathway, cell movement and embryogenesis. In this review, we have focused on its possible role in vascular disease.

Expression of heat shock proteins and heat shock protein messenger ribonucleic acid in human prostate carcinoma in vitro and in tumors in vivo

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are thought to play a role in the development of cancer and to modulate tumor response to cytotoxic therapy. In this study, we have examined the expression of hsf and HSP genes in normal human prostate epithelial cells and a range of prostate carcinoma cell lines derived from human tumors. We have observed elevated expressions of HSF1, HSP60, and HSP70 in the aggressively malignant cell lines PC-3, DU-145, and CA-HPV-10. Elevated HSP expression in cancer cell lines appeared to be regulated at the post-messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels, as indicated by gene chip microarray studies, which indicated little difference in heat shock factor (HSF) or HSP mRNA expression between the normal and malignant prostate cell lines. When we compared the expression patterns of constitutive HSP genes between PC-3 prostate carcinoma cells growing as monolayers in vitro and as tumor xenografts growing in nude mice in vivo, we found a marked reduction in expression of a wide spectrum of the HSPs in PC-3 tumors. This decreased HSP expression pattern in tumors may underlie the increased sensitivity to heat shock of PC-3 tumors. However, the induction by heat shock of HSP genes was not markedly altered by growth in the tumor microenvironment, and HSP40, HSP70, and HSP110 were expressed abundantly after stress in each growth condition. Our experiments indicate therefore that HSF and HSP levels are elevated in the more highly malignant prostate carcinoma cells and also show the dominant nature of the heat shock-induced gene expression, leading to abundant HSP induction in vitro or in vivo.

Taenia solium: characterization of a small heat shock protein (Tsol-sHSP35.6) and its possible relevance to the diagnosis and pathogenesis of neurocysticercosis

A cDNA encoding for a predicted small heat shock protein (sHSP), Tsol-sfISP35.6, has been isolated by antibody screening of a Taenia solium c-DNA library. The clone was a full-length sequence (1172 bp) with an open reading frame of 945 bp and encoded for a 314 amino acid protein with deduced molecular mass of 35.6 kDa, isoelectric point of 5.6 arid the characteristic HSP20/alpha-crystallin domain duplicated. It was highly conserved, with a high sequence similarity with other platyhelminth sHSPs. Western blot analysis, using serum from neurocysticercosis patients (NCC), indicated that the purified Tsol-sHSP35.6 expression product was immunogenic, while in indirect ELISA, using the purified Tsol-sHSP35.6 expression product as antigen and serum samples from pigs and humans, 80% of T. solium infected pigs and 84% of patients with active, or 71% of patients with inactive NCC were sero-positive. The possible relevance of Tsol-sHSP35.6 in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of NCC is discussed.

Association of HSPB2, a member of the small heat shock protein family, with mitochondria

We previously identified HSPB2, a new member of the small heat shock protein family, expressed in heart and skeletal muscles. In this study, we used a polyclonal anti-HSPB2 antibody and examined the subcellular localization of HSPB2 in differentiated C2C12 cells, KNS-81 cells, and NIH3T3 transfectants expressing human HSPB2. Double staining with anti-HSPB2 and various markers for cytoplasmic structures showed that HSPB2 was present in the cytosol as granules, some of which colocalized with mitochondria. This colocalization was not altered by a colchicine treatment, indicating that it is independent of microtubules. The subcellular fractionation of differentiated C2C12 cells revealed that HSPB2 was mainly detected in the postmitochondrial supernatant, but mild heat treatment enriched the amount of HSPB2 in the mitochondrial fraction. The expression of HSPB2 protected the cells from heat-induced cell death. In addition, Northern blot analysis revealed that expression of HSPB2 mRNA is higher in slow-twitch muscle than in fast-twitch muscle, which correlates with the amounts of mitochondria present in these two types of tissue. Taken together, these results suggest that HSPB2 may not localize in the matrix, but rather associates with the outer membrane components of the mitochondria and thus plays a role in the stress response.

Muscle develops a specific form of small heat shock protein complex composed of MKBP/HSPB2 and HSPB3 during myogenic differentiation

Previously, we identified a new mammalian sHSP, MKBP, as a myotonic dystrophy protein kinase-binding protein, and suggested its important role in muscle maintenance (Suzuki, A., Sugiyama, Y., Hayashi, Y., Nyu-i, N., Yoshida, M., Nonaka, I., Ishiura, S., Arahata, K., and Ohno, S. (1998) J. Cell Biol. 140, 1113-1124). In this paper, we develop the former work by performing extensive characterization of five of the six sHSPs so far identified, that is, HSP27, alphaB-crystallin, p20, MKBP/HSPB2, and HSPB3, omitting lens-specific alphaA-crystallin. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that although each sHSP shows differential constitutive expression in restricted tissues, tissues that express all five sHSPs are only muscle-related tissues. Especially, the expressions of HSPB3, identified for the first time as a 17-kDa protein in this paper, and MKBP/HSPB2 are distinctly specific to muscles. Moreover, these sHSPs form an oligomeric complex with an apparent molecular mass of 150 kDa that is completely independent of the oligomers formed by HSP27, alphaB-crystallin, and p20. The expressions of MKBP/HSPB2 and HSPB3 are induced during muscle differentiation under the control of MyoD, suggesting that the sHSP oligomer comprising MKBP/HSPB2 and HSPB3 represents an additional system closely related to muscle function. The functional divergence among sHSPs in different oligomers is also demonstrated in several ways: 1) an interaction with myotonic dystrophy protein kinase, which has been suggested to be important for the maintenance of myofibril integrity, was observed only for MKBP/HSPB2; 2) a myotube-specific association with actin bundles was observed for HSP27 and alphaB-crystallin, but not for MKBP/HSPB2; and 3) sHSPs whose mRNAs are induced by heat shock are alphaB-crystallin and HSP27. Taken together, the results suggest that muscle cells develop two kinds of stress response systems composed of diverged sHSP members, and that these systems work independently in muscle maintenance and differentiation.

Ubiquitous and cell-specific members of the avian small heat shock protein family

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) have been suggested to act as molecular chaperones for many kinds of substrates and have protective roles in cells exposed to external stresses. Unlike other major Hsps such as Hsp70 and Hsp90, expression of many vertebrate sHsps is restricted to the muscle tissues and/or eye lens. Among the sHsps, the heat-inducible human Hsp27 (hHsp27) homologue is believed to be expressed ubiquitously in various cell types. Here, we distinguished the chicken homologue of hHsp27 (cHsp24) from the chicken major heat-inducible protein of molecular size 25 kDa (cHsp25). cHsp25 is not expressed in the absence of stress, but is highly expressed after hyperthermia in all tissues of developing embryos. In contrast, expression of cHsp24 is restricted to some specific tissues even in the presence of stress. Thus, cHsp25 is the first member of the sHsps in vertebrates the expression of which is ubiquitous in tissues exposed to external stresses similar to Hsp70.

Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel fibroblast growth factor preferentially expressed in human heart

A novel human fibroblast growth factor (hFGF), which shows 75% sequence homology with fibroblast growth factor-9, was isolated in random sequencing of a human heart cDNA library. The full-length sequence is 928 bp, the encoded protein is composed of 168 amino acid residues, and its pI value and molecular weight were estimated to be 8.13 and 19.1 kDa, respectively. RT-PCR using Marathon human heart cDNA shows that the coding region is approximately 507 bp. Southern hybridization showed a single band which indicates that this is a single copy gene. Northern hybridization done on a human multiple tissues blot showed that the gene is preferentially expressed in human heart, very weakly detectable in human brain and not detectable in 18 other different human tissues.

HspB3, the most deviating of the six known human small heat shock proteins

From the alignment of 14 EST clones, the cDNA sequence of a novel human small heat shock protein (sHsp), called HspB3, could be deduced. The 3' part of the HspB3 cDNA is 99% identical to that of the previously reported HspL27 cDNA (W.Y. Lam, S.K. Wing Tsui, P.T. Law, S.C. Luk, K.P. Fung, C.Y. Lee, M.M. Waye, Isolation and characterization of a human heart cDNA encoding a new member of the small heat shock protein family-HSPL27, Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1314 (1996) 120-124). We argue that the HspB3 cDNA sequence is a corrected version of the HspL27 cDNA. The HspB3 cDNA is 742 bp long and contains an open reading frame specifying a polypeptide of 150 amino acid residues. Among the six known human sHsps it is evident that HspB3 is the most deviating one, having a unique N-terminal domain and essentially lacking a C-terminal extension. Northern blot analysis shows that in smooth muscle tissue the cDNA hybridizes with mRNA of about 0.9 kb.

Genealogy of the alpha-crystallin--small heat-shock protein superfamily

Sequences of 40 very diverse representatives of the alpha-crystallin-small heat-shock protein (alpha-Hsp) superfamily are compared. Their characteristic C-terminal 'alpha-crystallin domain' of 80-100 residues contains short consensus sequences that are highly conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. There are, in addition, some positions that clearly distinguish animal from non-animal alpha-Hsps. The alpha-crystallin domain is predicted to consist of two hydrophobic beta-sheet motifs, separated by a hydrophilic region which is variable in length. Combination of a conserved alpha-crystallin domain with a variable N-terminal domain and C-terminal extension probably modulates the properties of the various alpha-Hsps as stress-protective and structural oligomeric proteins. Phylogeny reconstruction indicates that multiple alpha-Hsps were already present in the last common ancestor of pro- and eukaryotes. It is suggested that during eukaryote evolution, animal and non-animal alpha-Hsps originated from different ancestral gene copies. Repeated gene duplications gave rise to the multiple alpha-Hsps present in most organisms.

Identification and characterization of the gene encoding a new member of the alpha-crystallin/small hsp family, closely linked to the alphaB-crystallin gene in a head-to-head manner

alphaB-Crystallin is a member of the alpha-crystallin/small heat shock protein (hsp) family and under various neuropathologic conditions accumulates in reactive astrocytes and degenerating neurons. In the 5'-flanking region of the alphaB-crystallin gene on human chromosome 11q22-q23, where a constitutive DNase I hypersensitive site is located, we identified a gene transcribed in the opposite direction. Analysis of its mRNA structure by RT-PCR and 5'/3'RACE revealed that this gene is composed of two exons and encodes a new member of the alpha-crystallin/small hsp family. This gene was designated the HSPB2 gene by the HMGW Nomenclature Committee. The complete genomic structure of the rat homologue was also determined. Northern blot analysis revealed that the HSPB2 gene is expressed preferentially in skeletal muscle and heart but not in the lens, while the neighboring alphaB-crystallin gene is highly expressed in all three tissues. The two related genes are arranged in a head-to-head manner with an intergenic sequence of less than 1 kb, raising a possibility of shared regulatory elements for their expression.