Heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27) not just a biomarker of cardiac and renal diseases

Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) are a large family of conserved chaperone proteins which provide cell protection from various forms of stress including inflammation, hypoxia, ischaemia, and apoptosis. Heat-shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a member of a small molecular weight HSP family and it has recently been connected with cardiac and renal disorders. Several studies stated that HSP27 can be a reliable predictor of cardiac events in patients with chronic heart failure. Moreover, there is a strong inverse relationship between HSP27 level and atherosclerosis. Interestingly, the HSP27 level in atherosclerosis plaques was significantly lower compared to healthy arteries. Additionally, HSP27 was linked with atrial fibrillation (AF) and acute chest pain. Various studies also reported HSP27’s usefulness in renal disorders. HSP27 seems to be an independent predictor of not only cardiovascular mortality but also sudden cardiac death (SCD) among haemodialysed (HD) patients. Collaterally HSP27 was proposed as a marker of chronic kidney disease, contrast-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) as well as AKI associated with liver ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Observations from studies conducted to date suggest that HSP27 may be a valuable marker for cardiovascular and nephrological diseases and even a possible therapeutic target. However, to fully understand the role of HSP27 in these diseases, further studies are required.