Hsp70 and Hsp90 as Molecular Correlates of Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: The Role of Early‐Life Stress

Hsp70 and Hsp90, members of the heat shock protein family known for their cell-protective effects against stress at the molecular level. This study aims to compare the Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and the healthy controls and to investigate the relation between Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels and the clinical parameters. The study group consisted of children and adolescents aged 8-18 who applied to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic and were diagnosed with anxiety disorders and a healthy control group of similar age and gender. The Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders, Children's Depression Inventory, and Clinical Global Impressions Scale were used. Venous blood samples were collected from the participants, and serum Hsp70 and Hsp90 levels were measured using the ELISA method. Serum levels of Hsp70 and Hsp90 were significantly lower in children and adolescents diagnosed with anxiety disorders compared to healthy controls (Hsp70: p = 0.019; Hsp90: p = 0.043). While no significant correlation was found between Hsp levels and disease severity, exposure to early-life stress (ELS) was associated with a significant increase in Hsp70 levels overall (p = 0.005). However, among participants exposed to ELS, those in the anxiety disorder group exhibited a markedly smaller increase in Hsp70 compared to controls with ELS exposure, suggesting a possible dysregulation of the cellular stress response in this clinical population. The results of our study indicate that psychological stress in anxiety disorders may be linked to changes in cellular stress-related mechanisms. The reduction in serum levels of heat shock proteins, which help maintain cellular stability under stress, may contribute to the pathophysiology of anxiety disorders. However, further studies using additional cellular and molecular markers are warranted to validate these findings.