Induction of Heat Shock Proteins 27, 60, 70, and 90 in the Cerebellum of Rats After Hyperthermia During Postnatal Development

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are induced in response to stressful stimuli and play an important role in cell repair and protection. This study, using immunohistochemistry, aimed to determine whether HSPs are induced in the cerebellum of rats subjected to hyperthermia during postnatal development (PND). The results showed that unlike HSP27 and HSP70, HSP60 and HSP90 were constitutively expressed in the cerebellum of rats. However, hyperthermia induced HSP27 in the white matter (WM) and HSP70 in the Bergmann glial cells, the internal granule layer (IGL), and the WM. In the WM, HSP27 induction was only observed on days PND20, PND25, and PND30, and HSP27 expression was higher on day PND30 compared with days PND20 and PND25 (p < 0.001). In the Bergmann glial cells, HSP70 induction was only observed on days PND5, PND10, and PND20, and HSP70 expression was greater on days PND5 and PND10 compared with day PND20 (p < 0.001). In the IGL and the WM, HSP70 expression was higher on days PND20, PND25, and PND30 compared with days PND5 and PND10 (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that unlike HSP60 and HSP90, HSP27 and HSP70 have different expression patterns in the cerebellum of rats after hyperthermia during PND.