Heat Shock Proteins (HSP) in Stress-Related Inflammatory Diseases

Abstract

When first observed nearly 56 years ago, the existence of heat shock proteins was thought to be an anomaly. Since then, heat shock proteins have been shown to play an important role in protecting and preserving protein structure and function in response to various stressors. An estimated 57 million people in the US alone suffer from stress-related disorders. Twice as many women as men suffer from these conditions, which range from autoimmune disorders, anxiety and depression to gastrointestinal and reproductive disorders. In 1936, Hans Selye defined stress as "the non-specific response of the body to any demand of change". Thus, stress is a broad term encompassing psychological, physical, and cellular stress in response to exposure to traumatic experiences, temperature changes, environmental factors, chemicals, and toxins. Exposure to stress can result in inflammatory responses, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, and alterations in expression of various heat shock proteins (HSP). The roles of HSP70 and HSP90 remain best characterized in the normal functioning of cells and during diseased state. In this chapter, we will review the role of various heat shock proteins in stress-related inflammatory pathophysiologies of the gastrointestinal tract and the female reproductive system.