Heat Shock Proteins: Pathogenic Role in Atherosclerosis and Potential Therapeutic Implications

Figure 1

Concept of autoimmunity towards heat shock protein 60 and the development of atherosclerosis. Under normal conditions, heat shock protein 60 is located intracellularly and is not expressed on the vascular endothelial cell surface. Under stressed conditions, heat shock protein 60 and various adhesion molecules are upregulated and expressed on the cell surface. This leads to inflammation and the development of atherosclerosis.