The role of Heat Shock Protein 27 in climateric women: a clinical, analytical and cross-sectional study

Abstract

Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) stand as a major cause of mortality, particularly affecting individuals aged 45-64 (middle-aged) and those aged 65 and above (elderly). The economic burden of CVD is substantial, surpassing $351.2 billion, with expenses doubling over two decades. While projections for 2035 indicate stable costs for young adults, expenses for middle-aged and elderly individuals are expected to rise. Understanding the pathogenesis of CVD is crucial for effective therapies and burden reduction. Recent focus on gender, hormones, and CVD reveals a reduced risk for women until menopause, after which the risk accelerates. Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), associated with estrogen receptor beta (ER-²), suggests a protective role in atherogenesis, as observed in animal models and estrogen-treated cells. Genetic variations, especially in HSPB7, contribute to CVD susceptibility. However, human studies on circulating HSP27 and atherosclerosis yield inconsistent results. Research establishing the link between HSP27, menopause, and CVD retains its significance, and further in-depth investigation, with an appropriate design, holds the potential to provide significant insights into the role of HSP27 in cardiovascular health. This study aims to assess early biomarkers-clinical, immuno-genetic-in the risk of atherosclerotic disease in women during the menopausal transition. It is an analytical and cross-sectional clinical study to evaluate HSP27 concentrations, correlating them with HSP27 genetic polymorphism in predicting subclinical CVD occurrence in postmenopausal women. The study population will consist of patients treated at the Faculty of Medicine of Jaú - UNOESTE. A total of 1200 postmenopausal participants aged e 40 years seeking the Gynecological Cancer Prevention Program at Hospital Amaral Carvalho will be included. This study is justified by the increasing burden of CVD in postmenopausal women, with exorbitant costs, and the need to understand the role of HSP27 in atherosclerosis, especially during the menopausal transition. (AU)