Istent with the HSP27 proteinPAGE and ImmunoblottingEach mouse brain sample was obtained from the ischemic region of cortex and striatum on the operated side 24 h after reperfusion. Frozen human brain (78-year-old who died of bladder cancer) was obtained from the temporal cortex. SDS-PAGE experiments were performed with the NuPAGE Novex Bis-Tris Gel system according to the manufacturer’s instructions (InvitroHSP27 Protects against Ischemic Brain Injurysequence (gi662841); MDIAIHHPWIR, RPFFPFHSPSR, APSWFDTGLSEMR and IPADVDPLTITSSLSSDGVLTVNGPR, which are consistent with the abcrystallin protein sequence (gi2845682); and MEIPVPVQPSWLR and HEERPDEHGFVAR, which are consistent with the HSP20 protein sequence (gi2477511). The hHSP27 dimer and tetramer contained only HSP27 without ab-crystallin and HSP20. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the high molecular weight hHSP27 multimer contained ab-crystallin and HSP20 (Figure 1D). 16574785 Both immunoblot and mass spectrometric analyses (data not shown) revealed that rHSP27 contained only HSP27 and not ab-crystallin and HSP20. Ten nanograms of hHSP27 contained less than 0.5 ng each of ab-crystallin and HSP20, that is, the amount of HSP27 contained in the hHSP27 was more than 20 times that of ab-crystallin and HSP20 (Figure 1E). The amounts of ab-crystallin and HSP20 were determined by comparing them with known amounts of their respective commercial recombinant proteins. We also chose to use hHSP27 in subsequent studies, because hHSP27 subjected to various physiological posttranslational modifications may influence function.hHSP27 Attenuates Ischemic Brain DamageThe HSP27 treatment protocol was first determined in preliminary experiments. Ischemic mice (see Methods) were intravenously injected with either hHSP27 (5 or 50 mg) or BSA (50 mg) 0, 1, 3, or 6 h after reperfusion (Figure 2A), and infarct Title Loaded From File volumes were measured in cresyl violet-stained sections made 24 h after reperfusion (Figure 2B). Infarct volume was reduced by 37 in mice treated 0 h after reperfusion with 5 mg of hHSP27 (19.4961.12 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5) and by 61 in those treated with 50 mg of hHSP27 (12.3960.73 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5) vs. BSA-treated controls (31.5561.28 mm3; n = 5, Figure 2B,C).Infarct volume tended to be reduced more when the 50-mg dose was administered 1 h after reperfusion (63 reduction; 11.7161.36 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5); there was only a slight reduction at 3 h and no difference at 6 h after reperfusion vs. controls (Figure 2C). The hHSP27 group showed better functional recoveries [hHSP27 (0 h): P = 0.004, hHSP27 (1 h): P = 0.004] than controls (Figure 2D). There was no difference in regional cerebral blood flow between the treated and control groups (Figure 2E). Based on these findings, in the remaining experiments, we injected 50 mg of hHSP27 1 h after reperfusion because it was most effective in reducing infarct volume (Figure 2F). Title Loaded From File Significant reductions in infarct volume and neurological deficits were also found 72 h after reperfusion in mice injected with 50 mg of hHSP27 at 1 h (16.4360.69 mm3 P,0.001, n = 3) vs. controls (38.0960.24 mm3 n = 3) (Figure 3A,B,C). To exclude the possibility that molecules co-purified with HSP27, such as ab-crystallin and HSP20, attenuated ischemic brain damage, we administered hHSP27 in the presence of HSP27-N1 and -C1 antibodies or HSP27-elution peptides (HSP27-N1 and -C1 peptides), instead of HSP27. The coadministration of hHSP27 and HSP27 antibody (50 mg hHSP27 and 50 mg HSP27 antibodies:.Istent with the HSP27 proteinPAGE and ImmunoblottingEach mouse brain sample was obtained from the ischemic region of cortex and striatum on the operated side 24 h after reperfusion. Frozen human brain (78-year-old who died of bladder cancer) was obtained from the temporal cortex. SDS-PAGE experiments were performed with the NuPAGE Novex Bis-Tris Gel system according to the manufacturer’s instructions (InvitroHSP27 Protects against Ischemic Brain Injurysequence (gi662841); MDIAIHHPWIR, RPFFPFHSPSR, APSWFDTGLSEMR and IPADVDPLTITSSLSSDGVLTVNGPR, which are consistent with the abcrystallin protein sequence (gi2845682); and MEIPVPVQPSWLR and HEERPDEHGFVAR, which are consistent with the HSP20 protein sequence (gi2477511). The hHSP27 dimer and tetramer contained only HSP27 without ab-crystallin and HSP20. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the high molecular weight hHSP27 multimer contained ab-crystallin and HSP20 (Figure 1D). 16574785 Both immunoblot and mass spectrometric analyses (data not shown) revealed that rHSP27 contained only HSP27 and not ab-crystallin and HSP20. Ten nanograms of hHSP27 contained less than 0.5 ng each of ab-crystallin and HSP20, that is, the amount of HSP27 contained in the hHSP27 was more than 20 times that of ab-crystallin and HSP20 (Figure 1E). The amounts of ab-crystallin and HSP20 were determined by comparing them with known amounts of their respective commercial recombinant proteins. We also chose to use hHSP27 in subsequent studies, because hHSP27 subjected to various physiological posttranslational modifications may influence function.hHSP27 Attenuates Ischemic Brain DamageThe HSP27 treatment protocol was first determined in preliminary experiments. Ischemic mice (see Methods) were intravenously injected with either hHSP27 (5 or 50 mg) or BSA (50 mg) 0, 1, 3, or 6 h after reperfusion (Figure 2A), and infarct volumes were measured in cresyl violet-stained sections made 24 h after reperfusion (Figure 2B). Infarct volume was reduced by 37 in mice treated 0 h after reperfusion with 5 mg of hHSP27 (19.4961.12 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5) and by 61 in those treated with 50 mg of hHSP27 (12.3960.73 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5) vs. BSA-treated controls (31.5561.28 mm3; n = 5, Figure 2B,C).Infarct volume tended to be reduced more when the 50-mg dose was administered 1 h after reperfusion (63 reduction; 11.7161.36 mm3, P,0.001, n = 5); there was only a slight reduction at 3 h and no difference at 6 h after reperfusion vs. controls (Figure 2C). The hHSP27 group showed better functional recoveries [hHSP27 (0 h): P = 0.004, hHSP27 (1 h): P = 0.004] than controls (Figure 2D). There was no difference in regional cerebral blood flow between the treated and control groups (Figure 2E). Based on these findings, in the remaining experiments, we injected 50 mg of hHSP27 1 h after reperfusion because it was most effective in reducing infarct volume (Figure 2F). Significant reductions in infarct volume and neurological deficits were also found 72 h after reperfusion in mice injected with 50 mg of hHSP27 at 1 h (16.4360.69 mm3 P,0.001, n = 3) vs. controls (38.0960.24 mm3 n = 3) (Figure 3A,B,C). To exclude the possibility that molecules co-purified with HSP27, such as ab-crystallin and HSP20, attenuated ischemic brain damage, we administered hHSP27 in the presence of HSP27-N1 and -C1 antibodies or HSP27-elution peptides (HSP27-N1 and -C1 peptides), instead of HSP27. The coadministration of hHSP27 and HSP27 antibody (50 mg hHSP27 and 50 mg HSP27 antibodies:.