The Research Progress in Targeted Therapy for Hypertension via Heat Shock Proteins

As the core molecular chaperones of the cellular stress response, the heat shock protein (HSP) family has gained extensive attention for its role in the occurrence, development, and target organ damage of hypertension. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the research progress of the HSP family in the field of hypertension, and to analyze its key roles in the pathogenesis of hypertension, including its regulatory effects on key pathological processes such as endothelial dysfunction, proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses. It also summarized the potential value of HSPs as biomarkers in the early diagnosis, condition monitoring, and prognostic evaluation of hypertension. Moreover, it discussed in depth the efficacy and safety of intervention strategies targeting HSPs, including the regulation of HSPs by gene editing, the targeted effects of small-molecule inhibitors, and the modulatory effects of natural products. We need to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration mechanisms, accelerate the transformation of basic research results into clinical applications, carry out large-scale clinical trials, and develop specific modulators in the future, so as to ultimately provide solid scientific theoretical support and a practical clinical basis for the precise prevention and treatment of hypertension. The findings of this review not only provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of hypertension but also lay a theoretical foundation for the development of HSP-based biomarkers and targeted therapeutic strategies.