Heat-shock protein 70 modulates apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 in stressed hepatocytes of Mugil cephalus

Oxidative stress causes damage at the cellular level and activates a number of signaling pathways. Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) play an important role in repair and protective mechanisms under cell response to stress conditions. HSP70 has been shown to act as an inhibitor of apoptosis. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 (ASK1) activity is regulated at multiple levels, one of which is through inhibition by cytosolic chaperons HSP70. The current study was aimed to investigate the alteration in signaling molecules that allow the fish to survive under stressed natural field conditions. The study also investigates the variation in biomolecular composition of hepatocytes by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The impact of stress on hepatocytes was assessed by measuring the level of lipid peroxides (LPO), catalase activity (CAT) and assessing the changes in hepatocytes of Mugil cephalus inhabiting Kovalam and Ennore estuaries. The expression of HSP70 and ASK1 were analyzed by immunoblot analysis and ELISA, respectively. The spectral analysis showed variations in biomolecular composition of hepatocytes at a wave number region of 4,000–400 cm−1. There was significant decrease of CAT activity (p < 0.01) (25 %) with significant increase of LPO (p < 0.001) (35 %) and HSP70 (p < 0.001) and insignificant increase of ASK1 (p < 0.05) (16 %) in fish hepatocytes inhabiting Ennore estuary than Kovalam estuary. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the survival of fish in the Ennore estuary under stressed condition may be due to the upregulation of HSP70 that mediates the altered signal pathway which promotes cellular resistance against apoptosis.