Expression And Protective Effect Of Induced HSP27 In Retinal Neurons And Müller Cells

Objective To investigate the expression of induced heat shock protein (HSP) 27 in rat's retinal neurons (RNs) and Muller cells cultured in vitro, and evaluate the protective effect of HSP27 on RNs injured with glutamate.Methods Rat's RNs and Muller cells cultured in vitro were treated with heat shock (42°C for 1 hour) . Duration of the expression of HSP27 was detected by immunocytochemical techniques, and compared the difference of the expression of HSP27 by computerized micro-imaging analysis system. Viability of the cells was measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) chromatometry after incitant toxic injury with glutamate(100μmol/L for 6 hours). Simultaneously, the expression was interdicted by HSP27 antibody.Results Hypereffective expression of HSP27 was found in cultured RNs and Muller cells after heat shock .The viability of RNs pretreated by heat shock after injured with glutamate significantly increased which could be interdicted by HSP27 antibody.Conclusion Heat shock can induce HSP27 hypereffective expression, which enhances the ablilty of tolerance of RNs to the incitant toxic injury by exitotoxicity. HSP27 antibody can reduce the viability of cultured RNs and partial block the protection of heat shock preconditioning against incitant toxic injury by exitotoxicity.