Adenovirus capsid proteins interact with HSP70 proteins after penetration in human or rodent cells

Soon after penetration of adenovirus serotype 2 in BHK-21 and HeLa cells, HSP70 and HSC70 proteins become associated with the viral capsid. By analysis with a polyclonal antibody derived from a fusion protein containing the C-terminal domain, 290 amino acids of HSP70, and using both immunological methods and infected cells fractionation we observed that a significant amount of HSP70 proteins moved to the nucleus and colocalized with the adenovirus particles. HSP70 proteins of infected cells were isolated as a complex cross-linked with intracytoplasmic adenovirus type 2. By coprecipitation, using a polyclonal-specific antiserum derived from the fusion protein, or two different monoclonal-specific antisera, we showed that HSP70 and HSC70 proteins were associated with hexon, the major adenovirus capsid protein.