Tran TTT, Tran KV, Nguyen TD, Pham NTT, Nguyen TH. Role of heat shock proteins in renal function and adaptation to heat stress: Implications for global warming. World J Nephrol 2025; 14(3): 107571 [DOI: 10.5527/wjn.v14.i3.107571]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Tin Hoang Nguyen, MD, Lecturer, Researcher, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No. 179 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Tan An Ward, Can Tho 900000, Viet Nam. nhtin@ctump.edu.vn
Research Domain of This Article
Urology & Nephrology
Article-Type of This Article
Review
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Nephrol. Sep 25, 2025; 14(3): 107571 Published online Sep 25, 2025. doi: 10.5527/wjn.v14.i3.107571
Role of heat shock proteins in renal function and adaptation to heat stress: Implications for global warming
Tam Thai Thanh Tran, Khang Vi Tran, Tri Duc Nguyen, Ngan Tuong Thien Pham, Tin Hoang Nguyen
Tam Thai Thanh Tran, Tin Hoang Nguyen, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Can Tho 900000, Viet Nam
Tam Thai Thanh Tran, Tin Hoang Nguyen, Department of Functional Exploration, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital, Can Tho 900000, Viet Nam
Khang Vi Tran, Tri Duc Nguyen, Ngan Tuong Thien Pham, Faculty of Medicine, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Can Tho 900000, Viet Nam
Author contributions: Tran TTT and Nguyen TH supervised, conceptualised, and designed the study; Tran TTT and Nguyen TH conducted the literature review; Tran KV, Nguyen TD, and Pham NTT drafted the original manuscript; Tran KV and Nguyen TH made critical revisions; Nguyen TD and Pham NTT created the artwork; all authors prepared the draft and approved the submitted version.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tin Hoang Nguyen, MD, Lecturer, Researcher, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy, No. 179 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Tan An Ward, Can Tho 900000, Viet Nam. nhtin@ctump.edu.vn
Received: March 26, 2025 Revised: May 27, 2025 Accepted: August 20, 2025 Published online: September 25, 2025 Processing time: 175 Days and 15.4 Hours
Abstract
The escalating global temperature, with 2024 as the hottest year, emphasizes the critical link between climate change and kidney health. Extreme heat, a consequence of global warming, causes multifaceted effects on human physiology, including renal function alterations. This review investigates physiological and molecular mechanisms of heat stress-induced kidney injury, including acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and urinary stone formation. It highlights how heat stress contributes to renal dysfunction via dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and antidiuretic hormone pathways, particularly in vulnerable populations like outdoor workers, the elderly, and pregnant women. The review also emphasizes the roles of heat shock proteins (HSPs)-HSP27, HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90-in maintaining cellular integrity by preventing protein aggregation and repairing damaged proteins in renal tissues. Dysregulation of these proteins under prolonged heat stress is implicated in CKD progression. This review highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions: (1) Hydration; (2) Workplace cooling; (3) Community education; and (4) Developing pharmacological therapies targeting HSPs. A multidisciplinary approach involving nephrology, environmental science, and public health is essential to mitigate the increasing burden of heat-related kidney disease in the era of global climate change.
Core Tip: Heat stress is an emerging factor whose effect on renal dysfunction is increasingly being recognized, particularly through mechanisms such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and neurohormonal activation. Identifying high-risk populations, such as outdoor workers, elderly individuals, and pregnant women, can facilitate early clinical interventions. Heat shock proteins (HSPs), especially HSP70 and HSP90, have demonstrated cytoprotective roles in renal cells and represent promising therapeutic targets. Integrating workplace modifications, hydration strategies, and HSP-based interventions, along with clearly defining the specific roles that different disciplines can play, may help mitigate heat-related kidney injury in the context of global warming.
