The aim of this study was immunohistochemical evaluation of heat shock protein (Hsp70) and p-53 proteins in the Larginine- induced cellular stress in hepatocytes of rats. Sixteen white Wistar female rats were divided into two equal groups. The rats from the experimental group received per os 40 mg/kg b.w. of L-arginine every day for 2 weeks and were decapitated after 3 weeks of the experiment. The rats from the control group received in the same manner 2 ml of distilled water and were decapitated after 3 weeks of the experiment. After decapitation specimens from the liver were collected, fixed in 10% formalin, and then embedded in paraffin blocks. Proteins Hsp70 and p-53 were detected on slides using the standard three step immunohistochemical method. The quantitative evaluation of Hsp70 and p-53 expression showed that the area of positive staining in the liver of the experimental rats (Hsp70 305,763.00 μm² +/-58,289.66, p-53 9,551.42 μm² +/-1,078.86) was comparable to that in the control groups (Hsp70 291,636.80 μm² +/-34,492.31, p-53 14,104.67 μm² +/-3,571.35). Our experiment showed, that L-arginine as a precursor of exogenous nitric oxide given to rats in dose similar to that used in pregnant women treated for hypertension did not exhibit an influence on hepatocytes.
