Molecular Pharmacology Group, Wolfson Link and Davidson Buildings, Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK.
Cell Signal. 2011 Sep;23(9):1447-54. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2011.05.009. Epub 2011 May 15.
The small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are a highly conserved family of molecular chaperones that are ubiquitously expressed throughout nature. They are transiently upregulated in many tissue types following stressful stimuli. Recently, one member of the sHSP family, HSP20 (HspB6), has been shown to be highly effective as a protective mediator against a number of debilitating pathological conditions, including cardiac hypertrophy and Alzheimer's disease. Hsp20 is also an important modulator of vital physiological processes, such as smooth muscle relaxation and cardiac contractility. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms employed by HSP20 that allow it to act as an innate protector in the context of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Emerging evidence for a possible role as an anti-cancer agent is also presented.
小分子热休克蛋白（sHSPs）是一组高度保守的分子伴侣，广泛存在于自然界中。它们在受到应激刺激后，在许多组织类型中会短暂上调。最近，sHSP 家族的一个成员 HSP20（HspB6）已被证明对多种衰弱性病理状况具有高度的保护作用，包括心肌肥厚和阿尔茨海默病。Hsp20 也是重要的生命生理过程的调节剂，如平滑肌松弛和心肌收缩性。这篇综述重点介绍了 HSP20 所采用的分子机制，使其能够在心血管和神经疾病的背景下充当天然保护者。还提出了 HSP20 作为一种潜在抗癌药物的可能作用的新证据。
