Chicken heat shock protein HSPB1 increases and interacts with αB-crystallin in aged skeletal muscle

Abbreviations: BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy; CBB, coomassie brilliant blue; BCA, bicinchoninic Acid; DHPR1, dihydrodipicolinate reductase 1; PMSF, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RT-PCR, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GST, glutathione S-transferase; Hsp, heat shock protein; HSF, Heat shock factor; LC-MS, Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; MHC, myosin heavy chain; sHsp, small heat shock protein; 2-DE, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; PVDF, polyvinylidene difluoride; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; HRP, horseradish peroxidase; S.D., standard deviation; S.E., standard error.

Abstract

International trading markets of meat require the animal’s age information to prevent cross-contamination of ineligible meat products. Individual livestock age is either evaluated from physiological features or verified by breeding history. However, it remains impossible to perform age verification on meat when a suspicion of error occurred in the importing country. To investigate an age-related protein in skeletal muscle of livestock, we compared protein expression among chicken pectoralis major of different ages. Results indicated that the level of expression of chicken HSPB1, one of the small heat shock proteins, was increased in aged muscles. On the other hand, other heat shock proteins, heat shock factors, and myosin heavy chain isoform did not change the expression levels in aged chicken muscle. In addition, we identified that αB-crystallin interacted with HSPB1 in aged chicken muscle. These results suggest that HSPB1 protein forms complexes with αB-crystallin in aged chicken muscle and suppose to become the candidate of age-related bio-marker for verifying the age of chicken meat.

Graphical abstract

Immunohistochemical analysis of HSPB1 in chicken muscle (50 days and 500 days of age). Longitudinal sections show HSPB1 expression depending on the age in the muscle.

Key words:

• Small heat shock protein
• slaughter age
• poultry
• skeletal muscle
• age-related protein

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Innami Poultry Agricultural Cooperative in Hyogo for donating many chickens for this study.

Notes

Abbreviations: BSE, bovine spongiform encephalopathy; CBB, coomassie brilliant blue; BCA, bicinchoninic Acid; DHPR1, dihydrodipicolinate reductase 1; PMSF, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; RT-PCR, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GST, glutathione S-transferase; Hsp, heat shock protein; HSF, Heat shock factor; LC-MS, Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry; MHC, myosin heavy chain; sHsp, small heat shock protein; 2-DE, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; PVDF, polyvinylidene difluoride; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; HRP, horseradish peroxidase; S.D., standard deviation; S.E., standard error.