Department of Ophthalmology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 20025, PR China.
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Shanghai, 20025, PR China.
Oncogene. 2022 Mar;41(11):1527-1535. doi: 10.1038/s41388-022-02195-z. Epub 2022 Feb 8.
Cells coordinate numerous biochemical reactions in space and time, depending on the subdivision of the intracellular space into functional compartments. Compelling evidence has demonstrated that phase separation induces the formation of membrane-less compartments to partition intracellular substances in a strictly regulated manner and participates in various biological processes. Based on the strong association of cancer with the dysregulation of intracellular physiological processes and the occurrence of phase separation in cancer-associated condensates, phase separation undoubtedly plays a significant role in tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarize the drivers and functions of phase separation, elaborate on the roles of phase separation in tumor pathogenesis and evolution, and propose substantial research and therapeutic prospects for phase separation in cancer.
细胞根据细胞内空间的细分，在时空上协调众多生化反应，形成功能隔间。有强有力的证据表明，液-液相分离诱导了无膜隔间的形成，以严格调控的方式分隔细胞内物质，并参与各种生物学过程。鉴于细胞内生理过程的失调与癌症密切相关，以及癌症相关凝聚物中液-液相分离的发生，液-液相分离无疑在肿瘤发生中起着重要作用。在这篇综述中，我们总结了液-液相分离的驱动因素和功能，阐述了液-液相分离在肿瘤发病机制和演化中的作用，并为癌症中的液-液相分离提出了大量的研究和治疗前景。
