Premium
Repeated mild heat shock delays ageing in cultured human skin fibroblasts
Author(s) -
Rattan Suresh I. S.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1080/15216549800203162
Subject(s) - ageing , human skin , shock (circulatory) , fibroblast , microbiology and biotechnology , heat shock , chemistry , biophysics , materials science , heat shock protein , biology , medicine , biochemistry , in vitro , genetics , gene
The effects of repetitive mild heat shock (30 min, 41° C) on growth and various cellular and biochemical characteristics of human skin fibroblasts undergoing ageing in vitro were analysed. Human skin ceils not only tolerated more than 30 repeated heat shocks throughout their replicative lifespan, but also maintained several characteristics of young cells until late in life. Whereas the growth rates, population doubling rates, and cumulative population doubling levels achieved in vitro remained unaffected, age‐related changes in cellular morphology, cell size, cytoskeletal organisation, autofluorescence and neutral β‐galactosidase activity were significantly slowed down by repeated mild heat shock. These hormesis‐like effects of stress‐induced defence processes can be useful to elucidate the role of maintenance and repair mechanisms in ageing.