Abstract: To explore the significance of changes of circulation endothelial cells（CECs）and of the expression of heat-shock protein70（HSP70） in patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS). MethodFiftyfour HFRS patients were assigned to the mild group(20 cases), the moderate group(20 cases) and the severe group(14 cases), and 20 healthy volunteers served as the controls. After CECs were separated by using the isopyknic centrifugation method, the CEC number and HSP70 level were determined with flow cytometry. ResultsThe number of CEC and the expression of HSP70 of HFRS patients began to increase in the fever stage and maintained a high level in the hypotension and oliguria stages, then gradually decreased in the diuretic phase and the recovery phase. In patients with different clinical types of HFRS, the CEC number and the HSP70 level accordingly increased and reached the peak in severe and dangerous HFRS. In patients with different stages and types of HFRS, the number of CEC and expression of HSP70 were both significantly higher than those of the controls. ConclusionThe CEC number and expression of HSP70 both increase in HFRS patients and this is related to the stage and clinical type of HFRS.

Key words: hemorrhage fever with renal syndrome, Circular endothelial cells, Heatshock protein 70