Life stress, negative mood states, and antibodies to heat shock protein 70 in endometrial cancer

Abstract

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), an intracellular chaperone "stress protein," has been identified in the extracellular milieu, where it may exert regulatory effects upon monocytes. HSPs are overexpressed in many cancers and implicated in tumorigenesis. Few studies have examined the relationship between psychosocial factors and HSP levels, particularly in cancer. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between negative psychosocial states (life events stress and negative mood states) and serum concentration of HSP70 antibodies among women with endometrial cancer, the fourth most common cancer among women in the United States. Thirty-six women scheduled to undergo surgery for suspected endometrial adenocarcinoma underwent a psychosocial assessment and peripheral venous blood draw. Life events stress was assessed using an abbreviated version of the Life Experiences Survey; negative mood states were assessed using abbreviated versions of the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Anxiety and Depression Scales and the Profile of Mood States. HSP70 antibody levels were regressed sequentially on life events stress and negative mood variables while controlling for body mass index (BMI) and cancer stage. Results revealed that greater HSP70 antibody concentrations were associated with greater impact of recent negative life events (p = .04), anxious symptomatology (p = .007), depressive symptomatology (p = .03), and total mood disturbance (p = .001) after controlling for BMI and cancer stage. While based on a modest sample size, these preliminary results suggest that larger-scale research exploring the relationships among psychosocial factors and HSP70 in cancer patients may be warranted.

High-Anxious Individuals Show Increased Chronic Stress Burden, Decreased Protective Immunity, and Increased Cancer Progression in a Mouse Model of Squamous Cell Carcinoma

“…In agreement with the data presented here, Lutgendorf et al have shown that higher levels of anxiety are associated with a Th1 to Th2 shift in lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood, tumors, and ascites of ovarian cancer patients [112]. Pereira et al have shown a positive association between anxiety and higher anti-heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) antibodies, indicating HSP70 over-expression related to tumorigenesis in patients with endometrial cancer [113]. Given that the SSC tumors studied here are known to be susceptible to immune attack, and given that the high-anxious phenotype is associated with lower anti-tumor immunity, our findings also have implications for tumor immunotherapy where the goal is to make immuno-resistant tumors responsive to elimination by the immune system.…”

Depressive symptoms and cortisol variability prior to surgery for suspected endometrial cancer

“…In spite of this, there remains a paucity of research examining relationships between psychological variables or physiological parameters of stress, associated with receiving a diagnosis of endometrial cancer and/or undergoing treatment for the disease. We have recently reported that a protein relevant to carcinogenesis and psychological stress (heat shock protein 70) is related to negative mood states in a small group of women undergoing treatment for suspected endometrial cancer (Pereira et al, 2010); however, no published research to our knowledge has examined the relationship between psychological factors and cortisol dysregulation in this clinical population specifically.…”

Endometrial cancer patients have high affinity antibodies for estrogen metabolite–receptor aggregate: A potential biomarker for EC

“…There are numerous antigens found in endometrioid adenocarcinomas, which were potentially used for immunotherapy 29 . Antibodies against various antigens were also found in these EC patients 30 . In addition, circulating free DNA and p53 antibodies were also found in the serum of EC 31 …”