Heat Shock Protein 105 (HSP105) is a mammalian stress protein that belongs to the HSP110 family. It is a 105-kDa protein that plays a crucial role in cellular stress responses. HSP105 is released by tissues in response to a wide variety of stresses, including infection, ischemia, heat stress, and tumors .
HSP105 was discovered through serological analysis of recombinant cDNA expression libraries prepared from tumor cells (SEREX). This method helps define strongly immunogenic tumor antigens that elicit both cellular and humoral immunity . HSP105 consists of two components: the α-component, which is 105 kDa, and the β-component, a truncated form that is 90 kDa in size and is specifically induced by heat stress at 42°C .
HSP105 functions as a molecular chaperone and apoptotic regulator. It prevents the aggregation of denatured proteins in cells under severe stress, where ATP levels decrease markedly . HSP105 also acts as a nucleotide-exchange factor (NEF) for chaperone proteins HSPA1A and HSPA1B, promoting the release of ADP from these proteins and thereby triggering client/substrate protein release .
HSP105 is overexpressed in various internal malignancies, including colorectal carcinoma and melanoma cell lines . It is also overexpressed in squamous cell carcinoma and extramammary Paget disease but not in basal cell carcinoma . This overexpression makes HSP105 a potential target for immunotherapy. Studies have shown that HSP105 DNA vaccination can stimulate HSP105-specific tumor immunity, leading to tumor regression .