The working hypothesis of the proposed study is that heat-denatured proteins represent the rudimentary hyperthermic lesion that causes cell killing and induces thermotolerance. Denatured proteins initiate the formation of protein aggregates which subsequently disrupt normal cellular structure and function. Ultimately denaturation aggregation related damage prevents cell from undergoing a successful mitosis and they are rendered clonogenically dead. Thermotolerance is induced by the presence of denatured and/or aggregated proteins and protects cells from hyperthermic killing by inhibiting protein denaturation-aggregation and facilitating the disaggregation process. The experiments are designed to demonstrate unequivocally that protein denaturation-aggregation is a lethal hyperthermic lesion and to determine how it causes cell death. The cytotoxicity of denatured proteins in the absence of other hyperthermic damage will be determined by electroporating heat-denatured proteins into nonheated cells and quantitating the resultant cytotoxicity. Complementary experiments will involve electroporating mammalian cells with thermolabile, nonmammilian proteins. The ability of the thermolabile proteins to either sensitize cells to heat or lower the threshold temperature for cell killing will support protein denaturation as a lethal hyperthermic lesion. Experiments will then be performed to confirm protein aggregation as a direct consequence of protein denaturation and to determine if the magnitude of protein aggregation, integrated over both the heating time and post heating recovery serves as a measurement of the cytotoxic dose. Efforts will then be directed towards identifying specific cellular targets that express lethal hyperthermic damage. Experimental approaches will include cell enucleation and refusion techniques to determine the cytotoxity associated heating the cytoplasm nor nucleus. We will determine if aggregated proteins interfere with normal nuclear function in a manner that results in micronuclei or aberrant chromosomes. Heat damage to the centrosome will also be investigated for its effect on cell viability. Finally, we will determine the mechanisms by which thermotolerance protects cells against protein denaturation/aggregation. This will include experiments to determine the relative efficacy of the major heat shock proteins in inhibiting aggregate formation and facilitating the disaggregation process. The results of this study will provide fundamental knowledge concerning the interactions of hyperthermia with biological cells which can be used in the development of hyperthermia as a clinical modality for treating human cancers. Protein denaturation/aggregation has also been implicated as a lethal lesion in other stresses of clinical import, e.g., ischemia. Thermotolerance protects against these other stresses which themselves induce thermotolerance. This cross-resistance provided by thermotolerance suggest that is part of a more generalized mechanism that has evolved to protect cells from stress. Thus, the information obtained from this study may have broader medical implications than the narrow application of hyperthermic oncology.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01CA060331-01A1
Application #
2101042
Study Section
Radiation Study Section (RAD)
Project Start
1994-02-01
Project End
1999-01-31
Budget Start
1994-02-01
Budget End
1995-01-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
William Beaumont Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Royal Oak
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48073
VanderWaal, R P; Griffith, C L; Wright, W D et al. (2001) Delaying S-phase progression rescues cells from heat-induced S-phase hypertoxicity. J Cell Physiol 187:236-43
Sekhar, K R; Soltaninassab, S R; Borrelli, M J et al. (2000) Inhibition of the 26S proteasome induces expression of GLCLC, the catalytic subunit for gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 270:311-7
Freeman, M L; Borrelli, M J; Meredith, M J et al. (1999) On the path to the heat shock response: destabilization and formation of partially folded protein intermediates, a consequence of protein thiol modification. Free Radic Biol Med 26:737-45
Borrelli, M J; Stafford, D M; Rausch, C M et al. (1998) Diamide-induced cytotoxicity and thermotolerance in CHO cells. J Cell Physiol 177:483-92
McDuffee, A T; Senisterra, G; Huntley, S et al. (1997) Proteins containing non-native disulfide bonds generated by oxidative stress can act as signals for the induction of the heat shock response. J Cell Physiol 171:143-51
Borrelli, M J; Lepock, J R; Frey, H E et al. (1996) Excess protein in nuclei isolated from heat-shocked cells results from a reduced extractability of nuclear proteins. J Cell Physiol 167:369-79
Borrelli, M J; Stafford, D M; Karczewski, L A et al. (1996) Thermotolerance expression in mitotic CHO cells without increased translation of heat shock proteins. J Cell Physiol 169:420-8
Freeman, M L; Borrelli, M J; Syed, K et al. (1995) Characterization of a signal generated by oxidation of protein thiols that activates the heat shock transcription factor. J Cell Physiol 164:356-66