Overexpression of Hsp25 in K1735 murine melanoma cells enhances susceptibility to natural killer cytotoxicity

In the present study we used a murine melanoma model to investigate the effect of the 25-kDa heat shock protein (Hsp25) on natural killer (NK) cytotoxicity. The melanoma lines K1735-Cl23 (low metastatic potential) and K1735-M2 (high metastatic potential) were transfected with hsp25 and a control plasmid. Highly purified interleukin (IL)-2–stimulated DX-5+ NK cells showed enhanced lysis of Hsp25-overexpressing K1735-Cl23 targets in comparison with controls. In contrast, there was no difference in susceptibility to lysis by purified IL-2–stimulated DX-5+ NK cells between Hsp25-overexpressing and control-transfected K1735-M2 targets. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis revealed that Hsp25 is displayed on the cell surface independently of Hsp25 overexpression and metastatic phenotype. Thus, surface localization of Hsp25 does not correlate with the target cell susceptibility to killing. To sum up, a cytoplasmic overexpression of Hsp25 is associated with an increased susceptibility to lysis by DX-5+ NK cells in the low-metastatic murine melanoma model investigated.