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Review
. 2025 Jul 21;16(7):741.
doi: 10.3390/insects16070741.

The Role of Heat Shock Proteins in Insect Stress Response, Immunity, and Climate Adaptation

Davide Banfi  1 , Tommaso Bianchi  1 , Maristella Mastore  1 , Maurizio Francesco Brivio  1
Affiliations
Review

The Role of Heat Shock Proteins in Insect Stress Response, Immunity, and Climate Adaptation

Davide Banfi et al. Insects. .

Abstract

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a key role in enhancing insect resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses by preserving cellular integrity and modulating immune responses. This review summarizes the main functions of HSPs in insects, including protein stabilization, interaction with antioxidant systems, and involvement in the innate immune response. The expression of HSPs under environmental conditions reflects their evolutionary adaptation to various stressors, including thermal changes, chemical exposure, and pathogens. Future research should focus on the interaction between HSPs and other stress response systems to improve our understanding of insect adaptation. Furthermore, in the context of global climate change, HSPs emerge as a crucial resilience factor and potential biomarkers for environmental monitoring.

Keywords: HSP; abiotic stress; biotic stress; climate change; immunity; insects.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
An illustrative scheme of the function of HSPs. Stressors can induce alterations in the molecular architecture of proteins by affecting their functionality; the presence of HSPs controls or restores proper folding while maintaining their functionality.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Physiological and immunological role of insects’ HSPs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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