The Cell Cycle Dependence of Thermotolerance: III. HeLa Cells Heated at 45.0°C

Abstract
We have extended our studies on the cell cycle dependence of thermotolerance to include HeLa cells heated at 45.0.degree. C to compare the results to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. We found that asynchronous HeLa cells were more resistant to heat than CHO cells but showed a similar development and decay of thermotolerance. Flow cytometry (FCM) was used to study redistributions in the cell cycle after an initial heat dose. Cells heated for 35 min at 45.0.degree. C were delayed in G1 by about 7 h compared to controls, with delays in late S and G2/M phase also. The heat sensitivity varied through the cell cycle; G1 cells were the most resistant to heat, while S-phase cells were uniformly sensitive throughout S phase, and G2 cells were resistant. Thermotolerance could be induced and expressed in early or late S-phase cells, but to a lesser extent than for G1 cells. The results were similar in many respects to CHO cells, but there were significant differences.