Protective effect of heat shock proteins in the nervous system.
The heat shock proteins (hsps) are expressed in normal cells but their expression is enhanced by a number of different stresses including heat and ischemia. They play important roles in chaperoning the folding of other proteins and in protein degradation. In the brain, a number of studies have shown that prior induction of the hsps by a mild stress has a protective effect against a more severe stress. Moreover, over-expression of an individual hsp in neuronal cells in culture and in the intact brain either of transgenic animals or using virus vectors also produces a protective effect, directly demonstrating the ability of the hsps to produce protection. These findings indicate the potential importance of developing procedures for elevating hsp expression in a safe and efficient manner in human individuals either using pharmacological or gene therapy procedures.
Latchman
David S
DS
Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. d.latchman@bbk.ac.uk
D000818:Animals; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009420:Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents