Hsps, Heat shock proteins

Molecular chaperones, stress proteins (note not all stress proteins are molecular chaperones and not all molecular chaperones are stress proteins) Heat shock proteins (Hsp) Polypeptide chain binding proteins... 

Both the heat and cold shock response are universal and have been studied extensively. The major heat shock proteins (HSPs) are highly conserved. They are involved in the homeostatic adaptation of cells to harsh environmental conditions. Some act as molecular chaperones for protein folding, while others are involved in the processing of denatured polypeptides whose accumulation would be deleterious. The cold shock results in the transient induction of cold shock proteins (CSPs), which include a family of small acidic proteins carrying the cold shock domain. The CSPs appear to be involved in various cellular functions such as transcription, translation and DNA recombination. 

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are synthesized by cells in response to an increase in temperature, as well to various other stressful stimuli. Their main function is to ensure intracellular protein homeostasis, thus preserving the cells viability in the presence of aggression. Current evidence points to a protective role for HSPs in several aspects of critical disease, such as ischemia-reperfusion, ARDS, and multiple organ failure. The increase of a few degrees Celsius above the normal environmental temperature of cells leads to the heat shock response 1) rapid expression of heat shock genes, 2) suppression of normal protein synthesis, and 3) the ability of cells to survive a second and otherwise lethal heat challenge (thermotolerance). 

For MK2, one may use a peptide substrate (see, e.g., Manke et al, 2005) or recombinant heat shock protein (hsp) 25 (Stokoe et al, 1992). For the peptide substrate, analysis is as described for the p90RSK assay. If using hsp27 as substrate, samples of the reaction products are analyzed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography or quantitation performed by phosphorimager. 

Antiapoptotic proteins. There are many different intracellular proteins that can prevent apoptosis by inhibiting specific steps in the cell death process. These include Bcl-2 family members such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL which can stabilize (mitochondrial, ER and plasma) membranes (Bcl-2 may also have intrinsic antioxidant activity). Other proteins, IAPs such as XIAP (X-linked) and NIAP (neuronal), which can directly inhibit caspases [31]. Additional examples of antiapoptotic proteins include protease inhibitors such as calpastatin, and protein chaperones such as GRP-78 and heat shock protein (HSP)-70. 

Pristane (2,6,10,14-tetramethylpentadecane) is a mineral oil known to induce arthritis, a disease also referred to as pristane-induced arthritis (PIA) [58], Susceptibility to PIA is MHC-haplotype dependent, in that DBA/1 (H2q) mice are susceptible whereas DBA/2 (H2d) are not, and is accompanied by a broad spectrum of autoantibodies, including anti-Rheuma Factor (RF), anti-collagen and antibodies to heat shock proteins (HSP). PIA is clearly immune dependent since nu/nu mice and irradiated mice do not develop PIA. PIA involves polyclonal T cell activation [59], particularly CD4+ cells [58], Intriguingly, mice can be protected from developing PIA by HSP65-specilic CD4+ Th2 cells [60],... 

Exposure of cells to elevated temperatures, or heat shock, induces the transcription and translation of a set of proteins known as the heat-shock proteins (HSPs) or the stress proteins. This event usually occurs with the concomitant inhibition of biosynthesis of other cellular components. The response is believed to be an attempt by the cells to protect themselves from injury, and there is some evidence to indicate that it may also be linked to oxidative stress. Evidence in favour of this idea comes from observations such as the following ... 

Heat-shock proteins (Hsps) are proteins expressed virtually in all organisms as a response of exposure to a stress, such as elevated temperature (fever), protein degradation, mechanical or chemical stress. As chaperone proteins they are concerned with the intracellular folding and refolding, assembly and translocation of damaged proteins. 

Eizirik, D. L., Welsh, M., Stranded, E., Welsh, N., and Sandler, S. (1990). Interleukin-1 8 depletes insulin messenger ribonucleic acid and increases the heat shock protein hsp 70 in mouse pancreatic islets without impairing the glucose metabolism. Eruiocri-nology (Baltimore) 127, 1190-1191. 

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