# MODULATORS OF CELLULAR HEAT SENSITIVITY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS · 1990 · $133,328

## Abstract

The overall focus of this project has been the study of
mechanisms of heat protection and thermotolerance.  We have
characterized heat protection by polyhydroxy compounds,
principally polyols and sugars and studied induction of
thermotolerance by several thiol-active compounds.  Based on our
data, we suggested a mechanism for thermotolerance that is
based on the synthesis of endogenous heat protectors, such as
glycoproteins.  Proposed experiments will extend and test these
concepts in 3 specific aims:

1.  Heat protection studies with polyols and sugars will be
extended to include:  amino acids; sugar phosphates; high-
molecular weight compounds, e.g., polysaccharides and
polypeptides; and physiological glycoproteins, known to play a role
in thermal biology.

2.  Proposed thermotolerance induction studies will utilize the
technique of microinjection to investigate thermotolerance
development within individual cells.  Specifically, we will
evaluate:  a) compounds that may be physiological "signals" for
thermotolerance development, i.e., glutathione disulfide and
phosphorylated dinucleotides; b) total RNA and poly(A)+ RNA
from thermotolerance cells; and (c) oncogenes that have been
shown to induce the synthesis of heat shock proteins.

3.  Glycosylation studies will characterize the incorporation of
labeled sugars into cellular proteins during thermotolerance
development using SDS-PAGE.  Inhibition of thermotolerance
development will be measured under conditions that interfere
with protein glycosylation and will be compared to
thermotolerance inhibition in low-pH medium and stepdown
heating.

A better understanding of mechanisms of heat prodcuction and
thermotolerance, as well as those mechanisms leading to
induction or inhibition of thermotolerance development may
provide a rational basis for improving clinical applications of
hyperthermia in cancer control.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3171302
- **Project number:** 5R01CA033405-10
- **Recipient organization:** UNIV OF ARKANSAS FOR MED SCIS
- **SAM.gov UEI:** VDFYLZPJEAV6
- **Principal Investigator:** KURT J HENLE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $133,328
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1981-12-01 → 1992-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3171302

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3171302, MODULATORS OF CELLULAR HEAT SENSITIVITY (5R01CA033405-10). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3171302. Licensed CC0.

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