Co-enzyme Q10 and acetyl salicylic acid enhance Hsp70 expression in primary chicken myocardial cells to protect the cells during heat stress

Jiao Xu, Shu Tang, Bin Yin, Jiarui Sun, Erbao Song, Endong Bao

We investigated the effects of co-enzyme Q10 (Q10) and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) on expression of Hsp70 in the protection of primary chicken myocardial cells during heat stress. Western blot analysis showed that Q10 and ASA accelerated the induction of Hsp70 when chicken myocardial cells were exposed to hyperthermia. In the absence of heat stress, however, neither Q10 nor ASA are able to upregulate Hsp70 expression. Analysis of enzymes that respond to cellular damage and pathological examination revealed that ectopic expression of ASA and Q10 alleviate cellular damage during heat stress. Quantification of heat shock factors (HSF) indicated that treatment of ASA increased the expression of HSF-1 and HSF-3 during heat stress. Treatment with Q10 resulted in the elevation of HSF-1 expression. Expression of HSF-2 and HSF-4 was not affected by ASA or Q10. Subcellular distribution analysis of HSF-1 and HSF-3 showed that in response to heat stress ASA promoted nuclear translocation of HSF-1 and HSF-3, while Q10 promoted only HSF-1 nuclear translocation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis indicated that HSF-1 occupies the Hsp70 promoter in chicken primary myocardial cells during heat stress and under normal conditions, while HSF-3 occupies the Hsp70 promoter only during heat stress. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that ASA induces HSF-1 and HSF-3 binding to Hsp70 HSE, while Q10 only induces HSF1 binding to Hsp70 HSE, in agreement with the impact of HSF1 and HSF3 silencing on Hsp70 expression. These data demonstrate that ASA and Q10 both induce the expression of Hsp70 to protect chicken primary myocardial cells during heat stress, but through distinct pathways.