https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2026.14820
The role of heat shock protein chaperones in human and murine salivary gland ontogenesis
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Published: 10 July 2026
The chaperone system plays essential roles in health and disease and is likely critical during embryogenesis. Previous studies have focused on early stages, from the one-cell stage to the blastocyst, with no information available on the topographic distribution or quantitative expression of chaperone system components, such as molecular chaperones, after the blastocyst stage in salivary glands. This study aims to map the distribution and expression levels of key molecular chaperones, including Heat Shock Proteins (Hsps), in embryonic salivary glands of mice and humans. Tissue levels of Hsp10, Hsp60, and Hsp90 in humans and mice, Hsp27 in humans, and Hsp25 in mice were assessed by immunohistochemistry in adult and embryonic paraffin-embedded salivary gland tissues. Protein and gene expression of Hsps were further analyzed in adult mouse submandibular glands. All studied Hsps were present at substantial levels in embryonic salivary gland tissues of both species. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a developmental shift in Hsp distribution: with development, Hsps were predominantly confined to the ducts. In conclusion, this study provides a first descriptive and quantitative map of chaperone system components in human salivary gland development. The stage-dependent differences observed between embryonic and adult tissues offer a reference framework that may inform future functional investigations into salivary gland morphogenesis and related pathological conditions.
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CRediT authorship contribution
Charbel Bassett, erformed the research; Charbel Bassett and Francesca Rappa, acquisition, analysis and interpretation of data; Inaya Hajj Hussein, Laira Dosh, osalyn Jurjus and Abdo Jurjus, provided substantial help with mice experiments; Giuseppe Vergilio, performed WB; Maria Laura Uzzo and Giovanni Francesco Spatola performed IHC experiment; Lavinia Giovanna Leone and Angelo Leone, manuscript drafting and critical revisions; Angelo Leone: Final approval of the version to be published.
Data Availability Statement
All data included in this study are available upon reasonable request by contacting the corresponding author.
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