Disease relevance of HSPA2

• Results demonstrated that HSPA2 expression was down-regulated in adolescents with varicocele and oligozoospermia compared to controls [1].

High impact information on HSPA2

• We have cloned and mapped one chromosome 14 HSP gene (HSPA2) using a genomic probe (pH2.3) derived from one of the HSP genes present in the MHC, which was previously shown to also detect sequences on chromosome 14 [2].
• The antiapoptotic gene heat-shock 70-kd protein 2 (HSPA2) was induced, whereas the proapoptotic tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 25 (WSL-1) was suppressed [3].
• HSPA2 is constitutively expressed in most tissues, with very high levels in testis and skeletal muscle [4].
• A yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clone containing HSPA2 (YAC741H4) that also contained the polymorphic marker D14S63 was identified [4].
• The gene, designated HSPA2, has a single open reading frame of 1917 bp that encodes a 639-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular weight of 70,030 Da [4].

Biological context of HSPA2

• Delineation of the minimal promoter is a basic step toward identifiying the cis and trans elements involved in the regulation of the HSPA2 gene expression in cancer cells [5].
• The structural and functional analysis of the human HSPA2 gene promoter region [5].
• In order to perform a functional study of the HSPA2 promoter, we used a transient transfection assay and found that the 392 bp fragment upstream of the ATG codon was a minimal region required for efficient transcription, while a 150 bp deletion from the 5' end of this region dramatically reduced the promoter activity [5].
• In this study we established that the human HSPA2 gene, in contrast to its rodent counterparts, is intronless and has a single transcription start site [5].
• The characteristics of HSPA2 expression suggests that it can influence the phenotype and survival of cancer cells similarly as overexpression of major members of the HSP70 gene family [5].

Anatomical context of HSPA2

• In contrast to the latter, the expression of the human HSPA2 gene is not limited to the testis, and recent data show that human tumor cells can express this gene at significant levels [5].
• We also show that the same type of HSPA2 transcripts are synthesized in the testes and in cancer cell lines [5].
• Expression of the HSPA2 gene in ejaculated spermatozoa from adolescents with and without varicocele [1].

Other interactions of HSPA2

• MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Comparative RT-PCR expression analysis of HSPA2 gene mRNA, compared to the housekeeping beta-actin gene [1].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of HSPA2

• INTERVENTION: Reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of HSPA2 gene expression in adolescents with and without varicocele [1].

References