Regulation of Hsp27 oligomerization, chaperone function, and protective activity against oxidative stress/tumor necrosis factor alpha by phosphorylation

J Biol Chem. 1999 Jul 2;274(27):18947-56. doi: 10.1074/jbc.274.27.18947.

Abstract

The small heat shock proteins (sHsps) from human (Hsp27) and mouse (Hsp25) form large oligomers which can act as molecular chaperones in vitro and protect cells from heat shock and oxidative stress when overexpressed. In addition, mammalian sHsps are rapidly phosphorylated by MAPKAP kinase 2/3 at two or three serine residues in response to various extracellular stresses. Here we analyze the effect of sHsp phosphorylation on its quaternary structure, chaperone function, and protection against oxidative stress. We show that in vitro phosphorylation of recombinant sHsp as well as molecular mimicry of Hsp27 phosphorylation lead to a significant decrease of the oligomeric size. We demonstrate that both phosphorylated sHsps and the triple mutant Hsp27-S15D,S78D,S82D show significantly decreased abilities to act as molecular chaperones suppressing thermal denaturation and facilitating refolding of citrate synthase in vitro. In parallel, Hsp27 and its mutants were analyzed for their ability to confer resistance against oxidative stress when overexpressed in L929 and 13.S.1.24 cells. While wild type Hsp27 confers resistance, the triple mutant S15D,S78D,S82D cannot protect against oxidative stress effectively. These data indicate that large oligomers of sHsps are necessary for chaperone action and resistance against oxidative stress whereas phosphorylation down-regulates these activities by dissociation of sHsp complexes to tetramers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Mice
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Molecular Mimicry
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / physiology*
  • Oxidative Stress*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Polymers / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Serine / metabolism
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*
  • Vitamin K / pharmacology

Substances

  • HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • HSPB1 protein, human
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Hsbp1 protein, mouse
  • Hspb1 protein, rat
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Molecular Chaperones
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Polymers
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Vitamin K
  • Serine
  • MAP-kinase-activated kinase 2
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases