Heat shock protein HSPA8 impedes hemin-induced cellular-toxicity in liver

Accumulation of hemin in cells, tissues, and organs is one of the major pathological conditions linked to hemolytic diseases like malaria. Pro-oxidant hemin confers high toxicity following its accumulation. We tested the cellular toxicity of hemin on HepG2 cells by exploring modulation in various cellular characteristics. Hemin reduces the viability of HepG2 cells and brings about visible morphological changes. Hemin causes perforations on the surface of HepG2 cells observed through SEM. Hemin leads to the extracellular release of liver enzymes and reduces the wound-healing potential of HepG2 cells. Hemin leads to the fragmentation of HepG2 DNA, arrests the cell cycle progression in the S-phase and induces apoptosis in these cells. Western blot analysis revealed that hemin triggers both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis in HepG2 cells. We have already shown that the cytoprotective protein HSPA8 can polymerize hemin and minimize its toxicity. Similar experiments with hemin in the presence and absence of HSPA8 showed that HSPA8 reverses all the tested toxic effects of hemin on HepG2 cells. The protection from hemin toxicity in HepG2 cells appeared to be due to the extracellular polymerization of hemin by HSPA8.