Minota S
Division of Clinical Immunology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi.
Rinsho Byori. 1997 Jan;45(1):19-26.
The heat shock protein(hsp), one of the most conserved and ubiquitous proteins in a wide range of species from bacteria to mammals, is strongly immunogenic. High conservation and potent immunogenicity, taken along with the fact that hsp is the target molecule of some gamma/delta T cells place it at the interface between immunity and tolerance. The role of hsp on autoimmune and inflammatory disorders has been vigorously investigated. There are accumulated lines of evidence suggestive of the possible involvement of hsp in clinical disorders but they still remain circumstantial. Two questions must be addressed before the exact role of hsp in these settings is established: 1) Why a conserved protein such as hsp is so immunogenic? 2) Why a ubiquitous protein can be a target of an organ-specific autoimmunity? Our data indicated that antibodies against highly conserved hsp60 in the sera from patients with autoimmune diseases, highlighted by rheumatoid arthritis, were directed mainly against epitopes specific for bacteria such as E. coli. The role of intestinal flora on the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis has long been pursued and our data might support these lines.
热休克蛋白（hsp）是从细菌到哺乳动物等广泛物种中最保守且分布最普遍的蛋白质之一，具有很强的免疫原性。高度保守性和强大的免疫原性，再加上hsp是某些γ/δT细胞的靶分子这一事实，使其处于免疫与耐受的交界处。hsp在自身免疫性疾病和炎症性疾病中的作用已得到深入研究。有大量证据表明hsp可能参与临床疾病，但这些证据仍属间接证据。在确定hsp在这些情况下的确切作用之前，必须解决两个问题：1）为什么像hsp这样保守的蛋白质具有如此强的免疫原性？2）为什么一种普遍存在的蛋白质会成为器官特异性自身免疫的靶标？我们的数据表明，自身免疫性疾病患者血清中针对高度保守的hsp60的抗体，以类风湿性关节炎最为突出，主要针对大肠杆菌等细菌特有的表位。肠道菌群在类风湿性关节炎发病机制中的作用长期以来一直受到关注，我们的数据可能支持这些观点。
