HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS 27, 60, AND 70 AS LOCAL VITALITY MARKERS IN MECHANICAL AND THERMAL SKIN INJURIES
J. Prangenberg, E. Doberentz, A. L. Witte, B. Madea
Abstract: Purpose. Heat shock proteins (Hsp) predominantly act as molecular chaperones and were first described in 1962. They have cytoprotective functions that support cell survival under (sub)lethal conditions. Hsp 70 is an established marker of cellular heat-induced stress and is present in the upper respiratory tract tissue in cases of fire death. However, data on Hsp expression in mechanical and thermal skin injures is unavailable. Therefore, we investigated the expression of Hsp 27, 60, and 70 in mechanical and thermal skin injuries and compared protein expression between uninjured and injured skin using immunohistochemistry.
Methods. Specimens were obtained from 30-35 cases whose age ranged between 19 and 95 years, while control (uninjured) samples were obtained from the abdominal region of the same individual. The etiology of skin injuries included blunt force, sharp force, strangulation marks, thermal injury, gunshot wounds, and frost erythema.
Results. Hsp27 showed slightly increased expression (51.7% vs. 45.4%, SD 25.6% and 31.1%, p-value 0.396) in injured skin compared to uninjured skin, while Hsp70 showed marginally higher expression in uninjured skin (7.8% vs. 5.6%, SD 22.3% and 14.8%, p-value 0.82). Hsp60 displayed negligible expression in both injured and uninjured skin (2.1% vs. 1.4%, SD 8.2% and 5.9%, p-value 0.45).
Conclusion. As there were no significant differences in Hsp expression between injured and uninjured skin, Hsp may not be suitable local vitality markers in mechanical and thermal skin injuries. Keywords: heat shock protein 27, heat shock protein 60, heat shock protein 70, immunohistochemistry, wound vitality, forensics.
 predominantly act as molecular chaperones and were first described in 1962. They have cytoprotective functions that support cell survival under (sub)lethal conditions. Hsp 70 is an established marker of cellular heat-induced stress and is present in the upper respiratory tract tissue in cases of fire death. However, data on Hsp expression in mechanical and thermal skin injures is unavailable. Therefore, we investigated the expression of Hsp 27, 60, and 70 in mechanical and thermal skin injuries and compared protein expression between uninjured and injured skin using immunohistochemistry.
<br />Methods. Specimens were obtained from 30-35 cases whose age ranged between 19 and 95 years, while control (uninjured) samples were obtained from the abdominal region of the same individual. The etiology of skin injuries included blunt force, sharp force, strangulation marks, thermal injury, gunshot wounds, and frost erythema.
<br />Results. Hsp27 showed slightly increased expression (51.7% vs. 45.4%, SD 25.6% and 31.1%, p-value 0.396) in injured skin compared to uninjured skin, while Hsp70 showed marginally higher expression in uninjured skin (7.8% vs. 5.6%, SD 22.3% and 14.8%, p-value 0.82). Hsp60 displayed negligible expression in both injured and uninjured skin (2.1% vs. 1.4%, SD 8.2% and 5.9%, p-value 0.45).
<br />Conclusion. As there were no significant differences in Hsp expression between injured and uninjured skin, Hsp may not be suitable local vitality markers in mechanical and thermal skin injuries.&redirect_uri=http://rjlm.ro/index.php/arhiv/988)