Induction of Hsp27 and Hsp32 stress proteins and vimentin in glial cells of the rat hippocampus following hyperthermia

In response to stressful stimuli, cells respond by inducing a set of heat shock (stress) proteins (hsps) that play important roles in repair and protective mechanisms. The present study investigates the expression patterns of Hsp27 and Hsp32 in the adult rat hippocampus following whole body hyperthermia. A pronounced induction of these low-molecular-weight stress proteins was apparent in populations of glial cells such as astrocytes and microglia that were identified using cell-specific markers (GFAP for astrocytes and the lectin GSA I-B4 for microglia). Hyperthermia also resulted in a robust induction of the intermediate filament protein, vimentin, in glial cells in the adult rat hippocampus. Interestingly, a rapid induction of both Hsp27 and vimentin was observed in the microvasculature, suggesting that hyperthermic stress may compromise the blood-brain barrier.