Effect of the Hsp90 modulators on the heat-shock response in eukaryotic cells

The possible role of the heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) complex on the heat-shock (HS) response in yeast using the Hsp90 inhibitors geldanamycin (GA) and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (AAG), and prednisolone and 17beta-estradiol as modulators was investigated. Following long- or short-term administration of the drugs, either alone or in combination, the response was determined as cell viability and growth after exposure to HS. Upon short-term preconditioning, both Hsp90 inhibitors conferred cycloheximide-dependent thermal resistance to the yeast cultures, while upon long-term treatment the induction of thermotolerance was confined only to AAG. Co-administration of prednisolone or 17beta-estradiol failed to significantly alter the response to Hsp90 inhibitors. However, since short-term incubation with prednisolone alone induced thermotolerance, increased the budding cell fraction and tended to reduce the adaptive response to GA, its effect on GA-induced thermotolerance is not yet explained. Generally, GA and AAG showed a comparable short-term action but a different long-term effect on the HS response in yeast; this response was not related to any regulation by prednisolone or 17beta-estradiol (while 17beta-estradiol was unable to modify the response, the action of prednisolone in both the stress response and the cell cycle was equivocal).