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. 2014:2014:803561.
doi: 10.1155/2014/803561. Epub 2014 Aug 27.

Early response roles for prolactin cortisol and circulating and cellular levels of heat shock proteins 72 and 90α in severe sepsis and SIRS

K Vardas  1 , K Apostolou  1 , E Briassouli  2 , D Goukos  2 , K Psarra  3 , E Botoula  4 , S Tsagarakis  4 , E Magira  1 , C Routsi  1 , S Nanas  1 , G Briassoulis  5
Affiliations

Early response roles for prolactin cortisol and circulating and cellular levels of heat shock proteins 72 and 90α in severe sepsis and SIRS

K Vardas et al. Biomed Res Int. 2014.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the early heat shock protein (HSP) and hormonal stress response of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe sepsis/septic shock (SS) or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) compared to healthy subjects (H).

Methods: Patients with early (first 48 hrs) SS (n = 29) or SIRS (n = 29) admitted to a university ICU and 16 H were enrolled in the study. Serum prolactin, cortisol, and plasma ACTH were determined using immunoassay analyzers. ELISA was used to evaluate extracellular HSPs (eHSP90α, eHSP72) and interleukins. Mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) values for intracellular HSPs (iHSP72, iHSP90α) were measured using 4-colour flow-cytometry.

Results: Prolactin, cortisol, and eHSP90α levels were significantly increased in SS patients compared to SIRS and H (P < 0.003). ACTH and eHSP72 were significantly higher in SS and SIRS compared to H (P < 0.005). SS monocytes expressed lower iHSP72 MFI levels compared to H (P = 0.03). Prolactin was related with SAPS III and APACHE II scores and cortisol with eHSP90α, IL-6, and lactate (P < 0.05). In SS and SIRS eHSP90α was related with eHSP72, IL-6, and IL-10.

Conclusion: Prolactin, apart from cortisol, may have a role in the acute stress response in severe sepsis. In this early-onset inflammatory process, cortisol relates to eHSP90α, monocytes suppress iHSP72, and plasma eHSP72 increases.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Blood concentrations of (a) prolactin; (b) cortisol; and (c) ACTH for the first 48 hours of ICU admission. The P value was calculated using the Mann-Whitney U test and a P value <0.05 (two sided) was considered statistically significant. The box-whisker plots show the median (horizontal line within the box) and the 10th and 90th percentiles (whiskers). The box length is the interquartile range. Solid circles represent outliers and stars extremes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Extracellular heat shock protein (eHSP) levels of (a) eHSP90α and (b) eHSP72 in healthy subjects, SIRS, and severe sepsis patients. The P value was calculated using the Mann-Whitney U test and a P value <0.05 (two sided) was considered statistically significant. The box-whisker plots show the median (horizontal line within the box) and the 10th and 90th percentiles (whiskers). The box length is the interquartile range. Solid circles represent outliers and stars extremes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Extracellular heat shock protein (eHSP) levels of eHSP72 in SIRS and sepsis correlated with severity of illness scores APACHE II (r = 0.45, P = 0.034), SOFA (r = 0.6, P = 0.002), and SAPS III (r = 0.5, P = 0.004).
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