Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, PR China; School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, 19 Qixiu Road, Nantong, 226019, PR China.
Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225001, PR China.
Biomed Pharmacother. 2021 Mar;135:111067. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111067. Epub 2020 Dec 28.
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are key players to restore cell homeostasis and act as chaperones by assisting the folding and assembly of newly synthesized proteins and preventing protein aggregation. Recently, evidence has been accumulating that HSPs have been proven to have other functions except for the classical molecular chaperoning in that they play an important role in a wider range of fibrotic diseases via modulating cytokine induction and inflammation response, including lung fibrosis, liver fibrosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The recruitment of inflammatory cells, a large number of secretion of pro-fibrotic cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and increased apoptosis, oxidative stress, and proteasomal system degradation are all events occurring during fibrogenesis, which might be associated with HSPs. However, their role on fibrotic process is not yet fully understood. In this review, we discuss new discoveries regarding the involvement of HSPs in the regulation of organ and tissue fibrosis, and note recent findings suggesting that HSPs may be a promising therapeutic target for improving the current frustrating outcome of fibrotic disorders.
热休克蛋白（HSPs）是恢复细胞内稳态的关键因素，它们作为伴侣蛋白发挥作用，协助新合成蛋白质的折叠和组装，并防止蛋白质聚集。最近的证据表明，HSPs 除了具有经典的分子伴侣功能外，还具有其他功能，它们通过调节细胞因子诱导和炎症反应，在更广泛的纤维化疾病中发挥重要作用，包括肺纤维化、肝纤维化和特发性肺纤维化。炎症细胞的募集、大量促纤维化细胞因子如转化生长因子-β1（TGF-β1）的分泌以及细胞凋亡、氧化应激和蛋白酶体系统降解的增加，都是纤维化过程中发生的事件，这些事件可能与 HSPs 有关。然而，它们在纤维化过程中的作用尚不完全清楚。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 HSPs 在调节器官和组织纤维化中的新发现，并指出了最近的发现，表明 HSPs 可能是改善纤维化疾病令人沮丧的现有治疗结果的一个有前途的治疗靶点。
