Observation of effects of hyperthermia on uterus at structural level

Hyperthermia is a state that the body temperature reaches at 41 ºC or higher values that causes heat shock. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidant which can eliminate the oxygen free radicals. So we try to determine that superoxide dismutase which was given before hyperthermia, may have protective and curative effect on uterus at heat stress and stress-induced hyperthermia by using apoptosis and oxidative stress markers.In this study we use 54 Wistar-albino rats that was divided into nine group which was divided into six rats in each group. The first group which was identified as the control group set for 20 minutes in a pool which was 22ºC temperature and after that, 24 hours later rats were afflicted and uterine tissues were taken. The second group of rats one hour prior to the application of hyperthermia applied NaCl + catalase and then for 20 minutes 42 ° C hot water bath was applied and then abandoned 30 minutes after application of hyperthermia and then tissues were taken. The third group was abandoned for 6 hours, the fourth group was abandoned for 24hours, the fifth group was abandoned 72 hours after application of hyperthermia and then tissues were taken. The sixth group of rats one hour prior to the application of hyperthermia applied NaCl+catalase+SOD, then for 20 minutes 42ºC hot water bath was applied and then abonded 30 minutes after application of hyperthermia and then tissues were taken. NaCl+catalase+SOD was also applied to seventh group, eight group, ninth group one hour prior to the application of hyperthermia then for 20 minutes 42ºC hot water bath was applied and then abonded 6 hours, 24 hours and 72 hours, respectively, after application of hyperthermia and then tissues were taken.The tissues were stained by indirect immunohistochemistry methods, with caspase 3, caspase 8, caspase 9 and Hsp70 markers. As a result, apoptosis becomes widespread 24 hours after hyperthermia application, existance of apoptotic bodies in surface and glandular epitelium were seen. The distinctive immunoreactivity of caspase 9 than caspase 8 suggets that apoptosis emerges because of the cellular stres.Immunoreactivity of caspase 3, an effector caspase, becomes the most evident at 24th hour; and at 72nd hour as a result of disappearance of it?s effectiveness, caspase 3 immunoreactivity decreases.Hsp70 expression increases by the duration of hyperthermia and reaches to the maximum level at 24th hour after application.As a result; it was determined that after 24 hours, hyperthermia no longer had a distinctive activity on uterus, and in SOD applied groups Hsp70 secretion was increased as a response to the cellular stress.