Induction of amyloid precursor protein mRNA after heat shock in cultured human lymphoblastoid cells

In an attempt to examine a possible relationship between heat shock stress and an induction of amyloid precursor protein, cultured lymphoblastoid cells established from 12 human subjects were treated with heat shock at 42°C for 30 min. The levels of mRNA for amyloid precursor protein (APP), heat shock protein (HSP) 70, and actin were examined by Northern blot at 1, 3, 8, 24, and 48 h after the heat shock treatment. HSP70 mRNA was induced at 1 and 3 h, and became undetectable again by 8 h. APP mRNA was also induced at 3 and 8 h, and recovered to the steady level by 48 h. No induction was observed in actin mRNA. These results indicate that APP mRNA is induced by heat shock treatment after the induction of HSP70 mRNA, suggesting a role of heat shock response in an induction of APP.