Therapeutic potency of heat-shock protein-70 in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, current status and perspectives

Heat-shock protein-70 (HSP70) is critical to the folding, stability and activity of several client proteins including many responsible for cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, drug toxicity, and metastasis. Up-regulation of HSP70 is positively associated with increased tumorigenicity as well as poor survival in colon cancer patients, supporting the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic potencies of HSP70 in colorectal cancer. Administration of specific pharmacological inhibitors or gene knock-down for HSP70 suppresses tumor progression and enhances tumor cells chemosensitivity. This review summarizes different tumorigenic properties of HSP70 and potential therapeutic potency of HSP70 inhibitors as a novel strategy in colorectal cancer therapy for a better understanding and hence a better management of this disease.