Induced expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps) plays a central role in promoting cellular
survival after environmental and physiological stress. We have previously shown that
scrapie-infected mouse neuroblastoma (ScN2a) cells fail to induce the expression of Hsp72
and Hsp28 after various stress conditions. Here we present evidence that this impaired
stress response is due to an altered regulation of HSF1 activity. Upon stress in ScN2a cells,
HSF1 was converted into hyperphosphorylated trimers but failed to acquire transactivation …