Heat shock protein-90 toward theranostics: a breath of fresh air in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), also known as stress proteins, constitute a complex network of proteins highly conversed across species that have been classified into different families according to their molecular weight: HSP110, HSP90, HSP70, HSP60, HSP40 and the small HSPs [1]. Although they are mainly known for their chaperone and cytoprotective properties, HSPs also participate in the regulation of many cellular signalling processes [2]. These proteins have been involved in various physiological as well as pathological conditions, including respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis or pulmonary hypertension pathogenesis. HSPs have been extensively studied in the cancer field thanks to their regulatory role for several proteins involved in carcinogenesis. Stress proteins are often overexpressed in cancer cells, promoting phenotypic hallmarks of cancer such as cellular reprogramming, sustaining proliferative signalling, supporting replicative immortality, evading growth suppressor or resistance to cell death. Therefore, several studies have focused on the potential use of HSP inhibitors concomitantly with chemotherapy in cancer patients [3, 4]. In particular, HSP90 has emerged as an important target in cancer and besides 17-N-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), the first inhibitor targeting HSP90 tested in a clinical trial in 1999, several inhibitors targeting HSP90 have been developed and are now being tested in humans [...
Source: European Respiratory Journal - Category: Respiratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Lung biology and experimental studies, Interstitial and orphan lung disease Editorials Source Type: research