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A central role for inducible heat‐shock protein 70 in autoimmune vitiligo
Author(s) -
Mosenson Jeffrey A.,
Eby Jonathan M.,
Hernandez Claudia,
Poole I. Caroline
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.12183
Subject(s) - vitiligo , heat shock protein , immune system , immunology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , secretion , plumage , genetics , gene , endocrinology , zoology
Inducible heat‐shock protein 70 ( HSP 70i) is a protein regulated by stress that protects cells from undergoing apoptosis. Such proteins are marvellously well conserved throughout evolution, which has placed them in the spotlight for helping to understand the intriguing relationship between infection and immunity. In the presence of stress proteins, dendritic cells ( DC s) will sense this alarm signal and respond by recruiting immune cells of different plumage to fit the occasion. In times of stress, melanocytes will secrete antigen‐bound HSP 70i to act as an alarm signal in activating DC s that comes equipped with an address of origin to drive the autoimmune response in vitiligo. Here we pose that if the autoimmune response is funnelled through HSP 70i, then blocking the stress protein from activating DC s can lend new treatment opportunities for vitiligo.