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Variety of stress protein may help treat sepsis
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Septic complications in the form of blood poisoning are among the most dangerous and common pathologies. Thus, in the United States and many European countries, sepsis affects at least half a million patients annually. And this number is constantly growing.
Septic complications are provoked by various groups of pathogenic microorganisms that penetrate the bloodstream from the wound surface or from another source of inflammation. When bacteria enter the blood, the inflammatory process develops to the maximum. The main "provocateurs" are endotoxins - the remains of damaged and dead microbial cells. Toxins interact with immune cells, which invariably leads to a powerful inflammatory reaction, leading to intoxication and even death of the patient. Antibiotics are often powerless in case of septic complications.
Scientists hope that some progress can be made with the help of heat shock albumin 70. This protein belongs to the category of chaperones, which perform the function of maintaining the configuration of other protein compounds. It is known that full protein function depends on the correct spatial structure.
Heat shock protein 70 plays a key role in the development of the stress response during hyperthermia, hypoxia, burns and other injuries, infectious lesions and excessive physical exertion.
Scientists have suggested that this type of protein can be used to protect cellular structures and the entire body from the effects of pathogenic microorganisms. Experiments have confirmed that after the introduction of the protein TS 70 to rodents, their blood after a septic complication returned to normal, and mortality significantly decreased.
Heat shock protein interacts with immune cells, so in order to see the effect of its introduction, it is necessary to set a precise target for it. Such protein cannot be introduced directly into the blood, as it can be destroyed without having time to provide the required effect. Taking this into account, specialists have come up with special polyelectrolyte encapsulated forms for albumin, constructed on the basis of polypeptides and polysaccharides. Such capsules are easily absorbed by immune cells, without having a toxic effect. As a result, the processes that usually accompany the onset of sepsis are stopped.
The main task of HSP 70 is to prevent the death of neutrophils: these are the cells that are prone to apoptosis, a kind of cellular "suicide", under the influence of endotoxins. The encapsulated protein HSP 70, after entering the cells, slowly leaves them, simultaneously blocking cell death. This happens much more effectively than when using regular non-encapsulated protein.
Of course, the scientists' research is not over yet - there are still clinical experiments ahead. Probably, in the near future, capsules with protein will be actively used to treat septic complications, as well as to solve other medical and biological problems.
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