EXPRESSION OF HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS IN MOUSE SKIN DURING WOUND-HEALING

Wound healing conditions generate a stressful environment for the cell s involved in the regeneration process and are therefore postulated to influence the expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps). We have exami ned the expression of four Hsps (Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90) and a keratin (keratin 6) by immunohistochemistry during cutaneous wound rep air from Day 1 to Day 21 after wounding in the mouse. Hsps were consti tutively expressed in normal mouse epidermis and their patterns of exp ression were modified during the healing process. The changes were not directly linked to the time course of the healing process but rather were dependent on the location of cells in the regenerating epidermis. In the thickened epidermis, Hsp60 was induced in basal and low suprab asal cells, Hsp70 showed a reduced expression, and Hsp90 and Hsp27 pre served a suprabasal pattern with an induction in basal and low supraba sal cells. All Hsps had a uniform pattern of expression in the migrati ng epithelial tongue. These observations suggest that the expression o f Hsps in the neoepidermis is related to the proliferation, the migrat ion, and the differentiation states of keratinocytes within the wound.