Response and function of skeletal muscle heat shock protein 70

[Guest guest]

Front Biosci. 2006 Sep 1;11:2802-27.

Response and function of skeletal muscle heat shock protein 70.

Liu Y, Gampert L, Nething K, Steinacker JM.

Department of Cardiology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.

In response to stress, cells produce a series of heat shock proteins

(Hsps). One of the most prominent Hsps, is the 70 kDa Hsp (Hsp70).

Hsp70 is a highly conserved and essential protein against stress. The

skeletal muscle responds to a diverse group of stress signals namely,

muscle contraction linked energy and milieu challenges, ischemia and

exercise by producing Hsp70.

The extent of this Hsp70 response in skeletal muscle depends on the

type and intensity of the signal, and is characterized in a muscle

fiber specific manner by a special time course. Hsp70 in the skeletal

muscle is regulated at transcriptional, translational and

posttranslational levels.

Hsp70 serves as an indicator for cellular stress as a molecular

chaperone, plays pivotal role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by

preventing apoptosis, influences energy metabolism, facilitates

cellular processes in terms of muscular adaptation and interacts with

other signalling pathways. This review summarizes our current

knowledge on the skeletal muscle Hsp70 response.