HSP60 induces self-tolerance to repeated HSP60 stimulation.

The article cites a study conducted by Barry Kilmartin and Denis J. Reen, published in the 2004 issue of the journal "European Journal of Immunology," which states that heat shock proteins (HSP)60 induces self-tolerance to repeated HSP60 stimulation and cross-tolerance to other pro-inflammatory stimuli. In addition to their primary function as intracellular chaperone proteins, HSP, including their role as adjuvants for vaccines, have become a focus of intense research interest. Interestingly, the effect of chronic exposure to an endogenous immunomodulator and initiator of inflammation such as autologous HSP60 has as yet remained uncharacterized. It has been shown in the study that pretreatment of monocytes with human HSP60 results in a suppression of TNF-alpha production on restimulation with HSP60.