Hsp60 Friend and Foe of the Nervous System

Hsp60 belongs to the subgroup of molecular chaperones named chaperonins and, typically, resides and functions in the mitochondria but it is also present in extramitochondrial sites. It chaperones client peptides as they fold to achieve the native conformation and also displays anti-stress roles by helping stress-damaged proteins regain a functional shape. Thus, Hsp60 is central to the integrity and functionality of mitochondria and energy production. All cells in the nervous system depend on Hsp60 so when the chaperonin malfunctions the consequences on nervous tissues are usually devastating, causing diverse diseases. These are the Hsp60 chaperonopathies, which can be genetic or acquired with the former caused by gene variants and the latter by various post-transcriptional mechanisms. All forms of chaperonopathies, i.e., by defect, by excess, and by mistake, associated with Hsp60 have been described, and some illustrative examples are discussed here. It is clear that this chaperonin is key to neuromuscular physiology but, when qualitatively and/or quantitatively abnormal causes diseases, often very serious.