Immunohistochemical Distribution of Heat Shock Proteins 27, 60, 70 and 90 in the Placenta of Goats in the Second and Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Abstract

Determining the immunoexpression of HSPs in the placenta may contribute to the understanding of pregnancy physiology and immunotolerance mechanisms. This study aimed to determine the distribution of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 in the placenta of goats. Tissue samples were taken from the placentomal and interplacentomal regions of the pregnant uterus of 12 goats, comprising 6 s and 6 third trimesters. Following routine histological procedures, immunohistochemical staining was performed on tissue sections. In the interplacentomal region, HSP27, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 in luminal and glandular epithelial, stromal and smooth muscle cells did not show differences between the second and third trimesters (p > 0.05). In the placentomal region, HSP27 and HSP60 in syncytial plaques and HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90 in maternal stromal cells did not change as the pregnancy progressed (p > 0.05). There was no difference in HSP27, HSP60 and HSP90 in fetal stromal cells between the second and third trimesters (p > 0.05). HSP27 and HSP90 were positive in both trophoblast cells, HSP60 was positive in binucleate trophoblast cells, and HSP70 was positive in mononucleate trophoblast cells. In the third trimester compared with the second trimester, HSP27 was decreased (p < 0.05), while HSP90 in mononucleate and binucleate trophoblast cells did not show a difference (p > 0.05). HSP70 did not change in mononucleate trophoblast cells (p > 0.05), but HSP60 was increased in binucleate trophoblast cells (p < 0.05) as the pregnancy progressed. In conclusion, this study showed that HSPs had similar immunoexpression patterns in the interplacentomal region but different immunoexpression patterns in the placentomal region of the goat placenta.