13 research outputs found
Decreased efficacy of twice-weekly intravaginal dehydroepiandrosterone on vulvovaginal atrophy
Hsp60 Friend and Foe of the Nervous System
Hsp60 belongs to the subgroup of molecular chaperones named chaperonins and, typically, resides and functions in the mitochondria but it is also present in
extramitochondrial sites. It chaperones client peptides as they fold to achieve the
native conformation and also displays anti-stress roles by helping stress-damaged
proteins regain a functional shape. Thus, Hsp60 is central to the integrity and functionality of mitochondria and energy production. All cells in the nervous system
depend on Hsp60 so when the chaperonin malfunctions the consequences on nervous tissues are usually devastating, causing diverse diseases. These are the Hsp60
chaperonopathies, which can be genetic or acquired with the former caused by gene
variants and the latter by various post-transcriptional mechanisms. All forms of
chaperonopathies, i.e., by defect, by excess, and by mistake, associated with Hsp60
have been described, and some illustrative examples are discussed here. It is clear
that this chaperonin is key to neuromuscular physiology but, when qualitatively
and/or quantitatively abnormal causes diseases, often very serious