Oxidative parameters and expression of 70kDa heat shock proteins in pig heart tissue after transport and slaughter

In view of the significant role of Hsp70 in protecting the organism against the destructive effects of stress, and the possibility of using this protein as a marker of the infarction process in the heart, the aim of this study was to conduct an evaluation of the expression of 70kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70) and the concentration of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and nitric oxide ions (NO), determined as nitrite ions, as markers of oxidative stress in hearts obtained from healthy pigs following slaughter and pigs which had died during or immediately after transport with symptoms of sudden cardiac death. The material consisted of hearts obtained from 90 pigs following slaughter and from pigs which had died. Oxidative stress was determined in heart lysates based on the concentration of TBARS and nitrite ions. Expression and concentration of Hsp70 were determined using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and ELISA. Expression of Hsp70 was observed in hearts lysates obtained from slaughtered pigs and from those which had died with symptoms of sudden death. The strongest reaction in the Western Blotting was noted in hearts lysates from pigs with no pathological changes. The highest TBARS concentration was observed in lysates from hearts in pigs which had died during or immediately after transport. The highest concentration of NO ions, determined as nitrite ions, was noted in hearts from pigs with myocardial infarction lesions. The significant decrease observed in Hsp70 concentration in heart tissue obtained from the pigs which had died in comparison to the hearts from healthy pigs indicates the important role of this protein in protecting the heart muscle against the destructive effects of stress, which limits the occurrence of post-stress cardiomyopathy in pigs following transport.