Heat-shock proteins

Author:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

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Last updated on: 01.12.2023

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Synonym(s)

heat shock protein; HSP

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DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

Protein group that supports other proteins in folding or in maintaining their secondary structure under extreme conditions. They are formed to an increased extent after cells have been exposed to a stress situation, e.g. heat, UV-rays. In these situations of cellular stress, heat shock proteins stabilize cellular proteins to protect them from denaturation or accelerate the degradation of non-functional proteins via the proteasome.

ClassificationThis section has been translated automatically.

  • Name (gene product): Occurrence
  • HSPB1 gene(Hsp25, Hsp27, Hsp28):Ubiquitous
  • HSPB2 gene (MKBP): Cardiac and skeletal muscle
  • HSPB3 gene (HSPL27):Cardiac and skeletal muscle
  • HSPB4 gene (αA-crystallin): Eye lenses
  • HSPB5/CRYAB gene (αB-crystallin):Ubiquitous
  • HSPB6 gene (Hsp20, p20):Ubiquitous
  • HSPB7 gene (cvHsp): Cardiac and skeletal muscle
  • HSPA8 gene (Hsp22): Ubiquitous
  • HSPB9 gene (CT51): Testes

General informationThis section has been translated automatically.

In physiologically normal situations, ubiquitously occurring heat shock proteins play an important role as so-called chaperones, which are involved in the correct folding and maturation of proteins.

Heat-shock proteins are divided according to their molecular mass into the families of small heat-shock proteins (e.g. Hsp27 with a mass of 27 kDa), Hsp40, Hsp60 (chaperonins) and the Hsp70/Hsp90 heat-shock proteins.

For two tumor antigens of malignant melanoma (tyrosinase and melan A /MART1), a correlation between Hsp70 antigen complexation and T cell activation could be demonstrated. Elesclomol (orphan-drug) induces the formation of the heat shock protein 70 (see below heat shock proteins) and is used in studies on malignant melanoma.

LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.

  1. Hasday JD et al (2000) Fever and the heat shock response: distinct, partially overlapping processes. Cell Stress Chaperones 5: 471-480

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Last updated on: 01.12.2023