Heat shock proteins and skin diseases

Heat shock proteins are chaperones to construct protein molecules and are widely distributed in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. They are also induced by environmental stress to protect cells. Human heat shock proteins cross-react with bacterial heat shock proteins to modulate immune responses to induce autoimmunity. They are involved in the differentiation and growth of neoplastic cells as well as normal cells. They are also involved in various inflammatory skin diseases and in fibrotic process. Heat shock proteins play important roles in the pathogenesis of many skin diseases. Curr Opin Infect Dis 12:171-176. (C) 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.