Objective: To investigate changes and functions of glucocorticoid (GR) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) at the level of cellular receptor in liver in hemorrhagic shock after trauma.
Methods: Adult Wistar rats were used and a rat model of shock was reproduced by hemorrhaging accompanied by bilateral femur fracture. Changes in hepatic tissue GR, HSP70, pathology of liver, hepatic function markers in serum were dynamically observed. The expression of GR and HSP70 in hepatic tissue was assayed by Western blot and then analyzed with computer imaging system.
Results: Protein content of GR gradually decreased in hepatic tissue after trauma, reduced to the nadir at 6 hours after trauma, and it was decreased even more when trauma was added to bleeding. Protein content of HSP70 was gradually increased in hepatic tissue after severe trauma, peaking at 6 hours after trauma, and it maintained at a rather high level at 8 hours after trauma. It was even more increased in when hemorrhagic shock was followed by trauma. Alterations in hepatic function markers and pathology were not obvious after simple trauma. But after trauma was added to hemorrhagic shock, significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (TB) in serum was noted at 4 and 2 hours after trauma respectively (all P<0.01), and albumin content was obviously decreased (P<0.01). There were more inflammatory cell infiltrations in hepatic sinusoids at 6 hours after trauma.
Conclusion: GR may play an important role in anti-injury mechanism of hepatic tissue cell after trauma with hemorrhagic shock. HSP70 may participate in initiating anti-injury mechanism of hepatic cells.