Chaperoned function of HSP72 in hepatocellular carcinomas

Heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) is highly expressed in cancer tissues. Recent studies indicate the possible roles of HSP72 in the development and progression of gastrointestinal carcinomas but detailed mechanisms are still ambiguous. Human hepatocellular carcinomas are common gastrointestinal malignant carcinomas in the world. The studies indicated that HSP72 chaperoned alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and HBx in hepatocellular carcinoma. The further researches demonstrated that HSP72-AFP recombined vaccine could elicit specific anti-tumor immunity. The high-level expression of HSP72 may be not only used as diagnostic or prognostic markers for hepatocellular carcinomas but also as better immunotherapeutic vaccines in the cancers.