DIFFERENTIAL LOCALIZATION OF HEAT-SHOCK PROTEIN-90, PROTEIN-70, PROTEIN-60 AND PROTEIN-27 IN HUMAN DECIDUA AND PLACENTA DURING PREGNANCY

Little is known about the localization of heat shock proteins (HSPs) i n the decidua and placenta during the course of normal pregnancy. In t his study, we have examined the localization of the HSPs in decidual a nd placental tissues obtained from women during the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy (five in each trimester) by immunohistoc hemistry using highly specific antisera. HSPs 90, 70, 60 and 27 were d etected in decidual stromal cells during each trimester. The intensity of staining did not change during gestation for HSPs 60 and 27, where as it decreased with advancing gestation for HSPs 90 and 70. HSPs 90 a nd 60 were localized primarily in the nucleus, whereas HSP 70 was pres ent equally in the nucleus and the cytoplasm; HSP 27 was primarily in the cytoplasm. Ln the placenta, HSPs 90, 70 and 60 were localized in c ytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast, intermediate trophoblast, Hofbaue r and endothelial cells. HSPs 90 and 60 were localized primarily in th e nucleus, while HSP 70 was in the nucleus and the cytoplasm. in the p lacenta, HSP 27 was detected only in the intermediate trophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast cells and only in the first two trimesters. These results indicate that there are striking differences in the subcellula r localization of HSPs in the decidua and the placenta during normal p regnancy. (C) 1998 Chapman & Hall.