Role of low-molecular-weight heat shock proteins and the molecular mechanism in hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation

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Heat shock protein (HSP) 20, one of the low-molecular-weight HSPs, is known to have versatile functions, such as vasorelaxation. However, its precise role in cancer proliferation remains to be elucidated. While HSP20 is constitutively expressed in various tissues including the liver, we have previously reported that HSP20 protein levels in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells inversely correlate with the progression of HCC. In this study, we investigated the role of HSP20 in HCC proliferation. Our results strongly suggest that HSP20 suppresses the growth of HCC cells via p44/p42mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT signaling pathways, thus suggesting that the HSP20 could be a new therapeutic target for HCC.