title: Sudden infant death syndrome: no significant expression of heat-shock proteins (HSP27, HSP70).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In industrialized countries, sudden infant death is the most common cause of death in young children. Although prone sleeping position is a well-known risk factor, hyperthermia might also be important. Pathognomonic findings of premortem hyperthermia do not exist. During stress, including thermal effects, heat-shock protein (HSP) expression increases. This study investigated hyperthermia as a contributing or pathogenic factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical staining for HSP27 and HSP70 in the kidney, heart, and lung from 120 SIDS cases was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HSP70 immunostaining was negative in kidney, heart, and lung tissues in all cases and in tissues from the control group. HSP27 staining was positive in the kidney from one case, and was positive in the lungs (respiratory epithelia in 27% of cases; vascular endothelia in 19% of cases) and was negative in the heart. In the control group HSP27 was positive in 8% of renal tubular tissues and in 29% of renal vascular endothelia. Staining for HSP27 in lung tissues was positive in respiratory epithelia in 8% of cases and for vascular endothelia in 29%, whereas tissues from the heart were positive in only 4%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hypothesis of hyperthermia being a pathogenic factor for SIDS was not supported by immunohistochemical visualization of HSP70 or HSP27.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doberentz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Führing
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bonn, Stiftsplatz 12, 53111, Bonn, Germany. b.madea@uni-bonn.de.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Madea
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D013398:Sudden Infant Death
chemical_list: D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
keywords: Body temperature; Heat-shock proteins; Hyperthermia; Immunohistochemistry; SIDS; Stress