title: The HspA2 protein localizes in nucleoli and centrosomes of heat shocked cancer cells.
abstract: The human HSPA2 gene, which belongs to the HSP70 family of heat shock genes, is a counterpart of rodent testis-specific HspA2 gene. Rodent genes are expressed mainly in pachytene spermatocytes, while transcripts of human HSPA2 gene have been detected in various normal somatic tissues, albeit translation of the messenger RNA into corresponding protein has not been yet unambiguously demonstrated, except for several cancer cell lines. The aim of our work, a first step in search for HspA2 function in cancer cells, was to establish its intracellular localization at physiological temperature and during heat shock. First, we used qRT-PCR and a highly specific antibody to select cell lines with the highest expression of the HspA2 protein, which turned out to be A549 and NCI-H1299 lines originating from non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Significant expression of the HspA2 was also detected by immunohistochemistry in primary NSCLC specimens. Intracellular localization of the HspA2 was studied using both the specific anti-HspA2 polyclonal antibody and transfection of cells with fusion proteins HspA2-EGFP and mRFP-HspA2. We found that, at physiological temperature, the HspA2 was localized primarily in cytoplasm whereas, during heat shock, localization shifted to nucleus and nucleoli. Moreover, we demonstrate that in heat-shocked cells HspA2 accumulated in centrosomes. Our results suggest that the HspA2, like Hsp70 protein, can be involved in protecting nucleoli and centrosomes integrity in cancer cells subjected to heat shock and, possibly, other cellular stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Tumor Biology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology, Gliwice Branch, Wybrzeze Armii Krajowej 15, 44-101 Gliwice, Poland. dorotas@io.gliwice.pl
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Scieglińska
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pigłowski
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazurek
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Małusecka
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zebracka
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Filipczak
authors.forename: Zdzisław
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Krawczyk
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018385:Centrosome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007399:Interphase; D008938:Mitosis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D021381:Protein Transport; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; C091879:HSPA2 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000090243:Nucleophosmin