當細胞面臨壓力損傷時熱休克蛋白將可協助細胞修復,以維持細胞生理功能等機制,許多研究了解熱休克蛋白(特別是熱休克蛋白70家族)對心臟細胞保護作用之影響,亦有研究結果肯定運動誘發熱休克蛋白70表現量與心肌功能的保護作用與效益;而在運動後心肌細胞熱休克蛋白70反應卻有性別上的差異性,在急性運動刺激後,男性心肌熱休克蛋白70表現量明顯增加,在女性體內表現量卻無明顯改變,此差異主要與女性體內的雌激素對細胞結構的穩定作用、提升抗氧化能力與血管擴張情形有關;在長期規律運動訓練時,心肌熱休克蛋白70表現量在男性與女性體內皆明顯增加,因此,以熱休克蛋白70表現角度更是肯定規律運動對心血管健康的保護效益。
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) functions were to maintain cellular homeostasis, facilitate repair of injured cells and provide protection against future insults. Recent studies supported that heat shock protein (asHSP70) could be a cardioprotective agent, and the protein expression may increase with exercise. However, there has sex difference in the cardiac shock protein 70 express aftERacute exercise. While males show a robust increase in cardiac shock protein 70 following a single bout of exercise, females may not. The sex difference seems mediated by estrogen and testosterone. Estrogen limits the exercise-related disruptions to cell homeostasis because of its fast-acting roles in the cardiovascular, such as membrane stabilizing, antioxidant, or vasodilatory properties. Although sex differences in the HSP70 expression, exercise training, as a nonpharmacological intervention, that associated up-regulation of HSP70 may prove effective in providing cardioprotection.