Heat-Shock Protein 27 kinetics in end stage renal disease patients

Atherosclerosis is one of the most signifi cant yet unresolved problems in patients on regular Hemodialysis (HD) with major impact on morbidity and mortality of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). There is growing evidence that atherosclerosis may-at least in partresult from autoimmune processes, in which the family of HeatShock Proteins (HSP) may be involved [1]. HSP are a class of functionally related proteins that are synthesized byorganisms or cells and complicated in the folding and unfolding of other proteins, while their expression is increased when cells are exposed to heat or other stressogenic physiological, physical, or chemical stimuli (i.e. oxidative stress, cytokines and growth factors). When stress-exposed, the cells respond by drastic modifi cations of the different cytoskeletal networks and by selective increase in HSP synthesis.