The effect of quercetin on the expression of heat shock proteins and apoptosis induction in monkey kidney cell line GMK.

The present study was designed to investigate whether quercetin, a very common flavonoid widely distributed in many plants, can induce apoptosis in monkey kidney cells (GMK). Involvement of the expression of heat shock proteins Hsp72, Hsp73, Hsp27 and the significance of cell culture model in this process were also examined. The studies have shown that quercetin alone and in combination with the heat shock can induce apoptosis and necrosis in vitro in the studiedcells, but the percentage of affected cells did not exceed 3.9%. In the same experimental conditions, the expression of Hsp 73, Hsp72 and Hsp27 increased in cells cultured in two-dimensional system and decreased in three-dimensional model. This indicates that strong inhibition of heat shock proteins in GMK cells is not correlated with an adequate increase in the sensitivity of cells to undergo apoptosis. It also shows that the sensitivity on the manifested by Hsp expression and apoptosis induction, depends on the culture model and culture conditions.