[The effect of heat shock on mRNA expression in human T lymphocytes]

Total mRNA was extracted from activated T lymphocytes and Jurkat cells with and without heat shock, and then used for alpha-32P-labeled 1st strand cDNA synthesis with reverse transcriptase. DNA restriction fragments or cloned vectors of five oncogenes (abl, myc, myb, fos, Ki-ras) and of IL-2, IL-2 receptor, T-cell receptor beta-chain and transferrin receptor were dotted onto nitrocellulose filters. Hybridization results showed that the expression of c-myc and TfR mRNA was much lower in heat-shocked cells than in their normal counterparts. However IL-2 and Ki-ras mRNA increased after heat shock. Possible explanations for the results are discussed.