Activation of heme oxygenase and heat shock protein 70 genes by stress in human hepatoma cells.

Effects of various stresses were examined on the accumulation of mRNA for microsomal heme oxygenase and a heat shock protein, hsp70, in three human hepatoma cell lines. By heat shock, hsp70 mRNA was induced in all three hepatoma lines, Hep G2, Hep 3B and Hep G2f, while heme oxygenase mRNA was increased only in Hep 3B. Time-courses of the heat shock induction of both mRNAs in Hep 3B were similar. Arsenite caused induction of both mRNAs in all three cell lines, while cadmium increased them in Hep G2 and Hep 3B, but not in Hep G2f cells. These findings suggest that, although both hsp70 and heme oxygenase are heat shock proteins, the mode of induction of mRNAs for these proteins is different.