Background Glucocorticoid (GC) insensitivity/GC resistance is an important etiological and prognostic factor in multiple diseases and pathophysiological processes such as scald, shock and asthma. The function of GC was mediated by glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Scald not only decreased the expression of GR but also reduced the affinity of GR, which played an important role in GC resistance in scalded rats. Whereas the molecular mechanism responsible for the decrease of GR affinity resulted from scald remains unclear. Recent studies showed that the changes of heat shock proteins (hsp) especially hsp90 and hsp70 of GR heterocomplex were associated with GR low affinity in vitro. Methods The affinity of GR in hepatic cytosols and in the cytosols of SMMC-7721 cells were determined by radioligand binding assay and scatchard plot. GR heterocomplex in cytosols were captured by coimmunoprecipation and the levels of hsp90 and hsp70 of GR complex were detected by quantitative West blotting.Results Similar with that of hepatic cytosol of scalded rats, a remarkable decrease of GR affinity was also found in the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The level of hsp70 of GR complex in hepatic cytosol of scalded rats (30% total body surface area immersion scald) and in cytosol of heat stressed human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 were both increased by 1.5 fold, whereas no change of hsp90 in GR heterocomplex was found. According to the correlation analysis, there may be a positive relationship between increased hsp70 of GR complex and decreased GR affinity in the cytosols.Conclusions The primary results indicated that the level of hsp70 of GR heterocomplex was increased in the hepatic cytosol of scalded rats and the cytosol of heat stressed SMMC-7721 cells. The increase of hsp70 of GR complex might be associated with the decrease of GR affinity.