Expression of ubiquitin protein in each organ at death from hypothermia

To examine the expression of heat shock protein (hsp) in each organ on autopsy in 11 deaths from hypothermia, we performed immunological staining of specimens from each organ using an antibody to hsp, ubiquitin (Ub). Staining of the liver, kidneys, lungs and pancreas revealed a high level of Ub expression in the cytoplasm and nuclei. However, staining of the same specimens of all controls revealed no Ub expression in the cytoplasm or nuclei. This finding suggests that cells are affected by stress even at a low temperature, and may be important in clarifying the cellular kinetics in death from hypothermia.