Heat shock proteins and thermotolerance; a comparison of induction kinetics

Abstract
The hypothesis that the expression of heat shock proteins following a preliminary hyperthermic treatment is responsible for subsequent thermotolerance to a second heat treatment is examined. CHO cells were given a 12 min, 45°C pretreatment and then incubated for varying intervals at 37°C. The synthesis of certain intracellular proteins was monitored as a function of time post-incubation by using 35S-methionine incorporation as determined in SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cell survival was concurrently measured by challenging the cells with a second heat treatment (45°C/27 min).