Diabetes, Nitric Oxide, and Heat Shock Proteins
- Philip L. Hooper, MD
- From the Department of Endocrinology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Glen Haven, Colorado
Heat shock proteins (Hsps) or stress proteins are a highly evolutionary conserved family of polypeptides that are cytoprotective, protecting proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids from damage by reducing oxidation, preventing apoptosis, suppressing proinflammatory cytokines, repairing ion channels, and aiding in protein folding (1). Hsps have recently been found to be low in individuals with type 2 diabetes, moderately low in the nondiabetic identical twin with a diabetic co-twin, and low in individuals …
