Heat Shock Protein Induction By An Infrared Warm Compression Device

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate if the use of the infrared warm compression device often used in clinical settings induced heat shock proteins. METHODS: Subjects were heat-treated with an infrared warm compression device for 20 minutes. We examined the temperature of the upper eyelid and cornea before and after heat treatment and images were obtained by Digital Infrared Thermal Imaging System. After 6 hours of heat treatment, conjunctival epithelial cells were obtained by gently pressing nitrocellulose paper on the conjunctival surface for 3 to 5 seconds Immunocytochemical staining analysis was performed on the obtained samples. Tear samples were obtained prior to heat treatment and Western blot was performed to observe the expression patterns of heat shock proteins 27, 47, 70, and 90. RESULTS: By Western blot and immunocytochemical analysis, heat shock proteins 70 and 27 were significantly increased in the heat-treated samples. However, no difference was observed for heat shock proteins 47 and 90 before and after heat treatment, according to the immunocytochemical analysis. On Western blot, heat shock protein 47 was slightly increased by heat treatment but heat shock protein 90 did not show a significant difference after heat treatment. CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the infrared warm compression device significantly increased the induction of heat shock proteins 27 and 70, and that 47 was also slightly induced. This result suggests that the device developed herein could be used as a new therapeutic modality for the reduction of inflammatory cell injury through the induction of heat shock proteins.