High constitutive transcription of HSP86 gene in murine embryonal carcinoma cells

In order to investigate HSP86 heat-shock gene expression in embryonal carcinoma cell lines (EC), a partial mouse HSP86 cDNA clone was isolated and characterized. As observed for the corresponding protein, HSP86 RNA is shown to be constitutively more abundant in PCC4 and undifferentiated F9 EC cells than in fibroblasts, while its amount decreases upon F9 differentiation. Although mRNA stabilization is suggested to account in part of the high constitutive expression of the heat-shock-like protein HSC73 in F9 cells, HSP86 RNA appears as stable in fibroblasts as in F9 cells. Using run-on experiments we have established that high HSP86 expression in undifferentiated F9 cells in mainly due to enhanced transcription of the gene. Possible mechanisms responsible for this high level of transcription are discussed.