Expression of heat stress proteins by human periodontal ligament cells.

The purpose of the present report was to document the stress response produced by physical and chemical abuses to human periodontal ligament cells, and to review some of the known functions of stress response proteins produced as a result of such treatments. For these studies human PDL cells were exposed to sublethal challenges of 43 degrees C heat, sodium arsenite and the amino acid analog L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (AZC). The cells were labelled with [35S]-methionine and the proteins produced were examined by autofluorography of SDS-PAGE gels. Heat challenges were shown to induce hsps with an apparent mol. wts. of 90K, 68-72K, 41-47K, and 36 K. Arsenite-treated cells produced similar hsps including a 30k protein not produced by other forms of stress. AZC treatment resulted in the production of apparent functionless hsps with apparent molecular weights of 90,000, 72,000, 68,000 and 36,000. The function of these proteins and their possible role in periodontal disease is discussed.