Belozersky Institute of Physical and Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992, Russia.
Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia.
Biochemistry (Mosc). 2024 Apr;89(4):726-736. doi: 10.1134/S0006297924040114.
Intermediate filaments (IFs), being traditionally the least studied component of the cytoskeleton, have begun to receive more attention in recent years. IFs are found in different cell types and are specific to them. Accumulated data have shifted the paradigm about the role of IFs as structures that merely provide mechanical strength to the cell. In addition to this role, IFs have been shown to participate in maintaining cell shape and strengthening cell adhesion. The data have also been obtained that point out to the role of IFs in a number of other biological processes, including organization of microtubules and microfilaments, regulation of nuclear structure and activity, cell cycle control, and regulation of signal transduction pathways. They are also actively involved in the regulation of several aspects of intracellular transport. Among the intermediate filament proteins, vimentin is of particular interest for researchers. Vimentin has been shown to be associated with a range of diseases, including cancer, cataracts, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and HIV. In this review, we focus almost exclusively on vimentin and the currently known functions of vimentin intermediate filaments (VIFs). This is due to the structural features of vimentin, biological functions of its domains, and its involvement in the regulation of a wide range of basic cellular functions, and its role in the development of human diseases. Particular attention in the review will be paid to comparing the role of VIFs with the role of intermediate filaments consisting of other proteins in cell physiology.
中间丝（IFs）传统上是细胞骨架中研究最少的成分，但近年来已开始受到更多关注。IFs 存在于不同的细胞类型中，并且是特定于它们的。积累的数据已经改变了 IFs 作为仅为细胞提供机械强度的结构的作用模式。除了这个作用，IFs 还被证明参与维持细胞形状和增强细胞黏附。已经获得的数据还指出了 IFs 在许多其他生物过程中的作用，包括微管和微丝的组织、核结构和活性的调节、细胞周期控制和信号转导途径的调节。它们还积极参与调节细胞内运输的几个方面。在中间丝蛋白中，波形蛋白特别引起研究人员的兴趣。已经表明波形蛋白与一系列疾病有关，包括癌症、白内障、克罗恩病、类风湿关节炎和 HIV。在这篇综述中，我们几乎完全专注于波形蛋白和中间丝的已知功能（VIFs）。这是由于波形蛋白的结构特征、其结构域的生物学功能以及它在广泛的基本细胞功能调节中的参与，以及它在人类疾病发展中的作用。在综述中，将特别注意比较 VIFs 的作用与由其他蛋白质组成的中间丝在细胞生理学中的作用。
