Role of HSP70 in response to (thermo)radiotherapy: analysis of gene expression in canine osteosarcoma cells by RNA-seq

Sci Rep. 2020 Jul 29;10(1):12779. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-69619-2.

Abstract

Pre-treatment of tumors with hyperthermia is often used to increase the efficacy of radiotherapy. One of the main proteins induced in response to hyperthermia is heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). The aim of our study was to investigate up- and down-regulated genes in response to (thermo)radiotherapy in HSP70 proficient and deficient canine osteosarcoma cell line (Abrams), and functional role of HSP70 in the mechanism of thermoradiosensitization. Cells were transfected with negative control siRNA or siRNA targeting HSP70 and treated with hyperthermia (HT), radiotherapy (RT), and thermoradiotherapy (HTRT). RNA sequencing was used to analyze gene expression. Hyperthermia and thermoradiotherapy, but not radiotherapy alone, induced differential gene expression. We identified genes differentially expressed only in HSP70 knockdown (thus HSP70-dependent) cells in response to hyperthermia and thermoradiotherapy. Interestingly, cell proliferation but not clonogenicity and apoptosis/necrosis was affected by the HSP70 knockdown in response to thermoradiotherapy. The results suggest that HSP70 regulates expression of specific genes in response to hyperthermia and thermoradiotherapy. Further investigations into the role of specific genes regulated in a HSP70-dependent manner in response to thermoradiotherapy could pave a way into new, combinatorial treatment options for (canine) osteosarcoma and other cancer types.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Bone Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dogs
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hyperthermia, Induced
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 / metabolism
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Osteosarcoma / metabolism*
  • Osteosarcoma / radiotherapy*
  • Photons
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • RNA-Seq
  • Radiotherapy
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • GPNMB protein, human
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • LYVE1 protein, human
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • MMP1 protein, human
  • Matrix Metalloproteinase 1