HEAT-SHOCK PROTEINS IN RENAL INJURY AND RECOVERY

Heat shock proteins, or stress proteins, are molecular chaperones resp onsible for protein processing and protection against cellular injury through the prevention of inappropriate peptide interactions. The dist ribution of individual stress proteins varies between regions of the k idney and within subcellular compartments both in normal and pathologi cal conditions. Novel molecular chaperones have been identified in ren al medullary cells which are unique, among mammalian cells, in routine ly facing osmotic stress. Heat shock proteins can participate in renal injury as antigenic targets, but their primary role is beneficial, an d these proteins may function by interacting with the cytoskeleton to protect against and assist recovery from cellular injury. Curr Opin Ne phrol Hypertens 7:407-412. (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.