MITOCHONDRIAL HSP60 PROTEIN IN THE CELLS OF THE RAT BRAINSTEM

HSP60 protein belongs to the group of heat shock proteins (HSP) and is located mainly in the mitochondria. In the nervous system, dysfunction and inadequate synthesis of HSP60 cause the neurodegeneration. The purpose of this work was an immunohistochemical study of the localization of HSP60 protein in rat brainstem neurons and glial cells. The study was performed on adult male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g (n=7). The results obtained show a discrete distribution of HSP60 protein in cytoplasmic structures of neurons and glial cells. In large neurons, due to local accumulation of HSP60, it was possible to trace small structures that probably represented the mitochondria. An important observation was the lack of the cytosolic reactions in neurons and gliocytes of the medulla oblongata. This fact is the basis for the use of reaction demonstrating HSP60 in the complex studies of nerve cell apoptosis, since apoptosis should be accompanied by cytosolic HSP60 accumulation and the displacement of the immunopositive product to plasma membrane.

HSP60, HSP60, immunohistochemistry, brainstem