Hsp60 and nervous system development and diseases

The Hsp60 is a member of the chaperone system, a vital chaperonin for the survival of the neuronal cells, from the embryo to the adult. In addition to its canonical role as a molecular chaperone, Hsp60 has immunomodulatory and pro- and antiapoptotic abilities, which depend on its localization intra- or extramitochondrial. The importance of the role of Hsp60 in the nervous system is demonstrated by human pathologies associated with mutations of the hsp60 gene (see Chapter 3). In addition to genetic alterations, Hsp60 plays a pathogenic role, in various acquired disorders, acquired Hsp60 chaperonopathies, of the nervous system. In this chapter, we discuss examples of etiopathogenic participation of Hsp60 in diseases of the nervous system including those characterized by neuroinflammation, autoimmunity, and malignant transformation (see Chapters 4, and 5). Some of the findings reported indicate that Hsp60 has potential as biomarker useful for differential diagnosis and patient monitoring and offers a target for chaperonotherapy aimed at silencing the hsp60 gene or blocking/inhibiting the chaperonin.