title: The cardioprotective role of small heat-shock protein 20.
abstract: The small HSP (heat-shock protein) HSP20 is a molecular chaperone that is transiently up-regulated in response to cellular stress/damage. Although ubiquitously expressed in various tissues, it is most highly expressed in skeletal, cardiac and smooth muscle. Phosphorylation at Ser16 by PKA (cAMP-dependent protein kinase) is essential for HSP20 to confer its protective qualities. HSP20 and its phosphorylation have been implicated in a variety of pathophysiological processes, but most prominently cardiovascular disease. A wealth of knowledge of the importance of HSP20 in contractile function and cardioprotection has been gained over the last decade. The present mini-review highlights more recent findings illustrating the cardioprotective properties of HSP20 and its potential as a therapeutic agent.
authors.affiliation: *Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Wolfson-Link Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
authors.forename: Tamara P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: †Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Hamnett Building, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0RE, U.K.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: *Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Wolfson-Link Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, U.K.
authors.forename: George S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D050886:HSP20 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D050886:HSP20 Heat-Shock Proteins; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4