RNA-seq of early- and late-passage human mesenchymal stem cells (5 donors, donor-matched) with and without treatment with 2 hours of 42 degrees C heat shock

Understanding how the response of human cells respond to protein-unfolding stress changes with cellular age is important to gain a better understanding of the link between ageing and protein-folding diseases. The experiment was designed to assess the total mRNA levels in heat shocked cells from proliferating (early-passage) and senescent (late-passage) cultures; and was used, in conjunction with mass spectrometry data, to gain an insight into the systemic response to protein-unfolding stress. Here, total RNA was extracted from early- and late-passage human mesenchymal stem cells (n=5, donor matched) following 2 hours of heat shock at 42 degrees C. RNA from cells kept at 37 degrees C was used as control. The protein coding RNAs were then sequenced with Illumina HiSeq technology.