HSP70 overexpression in response to ureaplasma urealyticum-mediated oxidative stress in preeclamptic placenta

To determine the effect of Ureaplasma urealyticum infection on oxidative stress during preeclampsia.

The relationship between oxidative stress and U. urealyticum infection was monitored through the estimation of lipid hydroperoxidation level (LHP), glutathione redox ratio (GRR), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) along with heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expression in the placenta. Microbial growth analysis was used for U. urealyticum detection.

U. urealyticum infection was found in 43.7% of the preeclamptic subjects. The increased LHP level (p < 0.05) along with decreased GRR (p < 0.05) and TAC (p < 0.05) was noted in preeclamptic patients with U. urealyticum infection compared with uninfected preeclamptic and normal subjects. Under such condition, an increase in the HSP70 levels in the infected preeclamptic samples by 24.6% (p < 0.05) on comparison with uninfected preeclamptic samples was observed.

Overexpression of HSP70 in the placental homogenate suggests the contribution of infection to oxidative stress development and the possible protective role of HSP70 against infection.