Heat shock proteins protect both MPP+ and paraquat neurotoxicity

The exposure of immortalized rat neuroblast cells to MPP+ and paraquat results in cell death. Heat shock pre-treatment prior to the addition of MPP+ and paraquat significantly reduced cell death and led to an increase in the synthesis of Hsp27 and Hsp70 proteins. Quercetin inhibits the synthesis of heat shock proteins (Hsp) and prevents their protective effect, which suggests that this protection was dependent on the Hsps synthesis. These data indicate that heat shock protects cells from the toxic effect of MPP+ and paraquat. These results and the structural similarity between paraquat and MPP+ support the role of paraquat as a putative risk factor in the etiology of Parkinson's disease.