Hsp70 (HSP70A1A) downregulation enhances the metastatic ability of cancer cells.

Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70; also known as HSP70A1A) is one of the most induced proteins in cancer cells; however, its role in cancer has not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we proposed a hypothetical model in which the silencing of Hsp70 enhanced the metastatic properties of the HeLa, A549 and MCF7 cancer cell lines. We consider that the inability of cells to form cadherin‑catenin complexes in the absence of Hsp70 stimulates their detachment from neighboring cells, which is the first step of anoikis and metastasis.