| abstract |
The present invention relates to exogenous mutant HSF (mutHSF encoded by exogenous DNA) alters expression or synthesis of endogenous heat shock protein (hsp) genes in eukaryotic cells, tissues and organisms (e.g., mammalian, particularly human, cells, tissues and organisms). As described herein, mutHSF has been shown to regulate expression of endogenous hsp in cells and, as a result, to alter the response of the cells to stress. The mutHSF of the present invention is either positively-acting mutHSF or negatively-acting mutHSF. |