Jeon Soyoung, Jeon Yeram, Lim Ji-Youn, Kim Yujeong, Cha Boksik, Kim Wantae
Department of Life Science, University of Seoul, Seoul, South Korea.
New Drug Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu, South Korea.
Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2025 Jan 6;10(1):4. doi: 10.1038/s41392-024-02070-1.
Cells orchestrate their processes through complex interactions, precisely organizing biomolecules in space and time. Recent discoveries have highlighted the crucial role of biomolecular condensates-membrane-less assemblies formed through the condensation of proteins, nucleic acids, and other molecules-in driving efficient and dynamic cellular processes. These condensates are integral to various physiological functions, such as gene expression and intracellular signal transduction, enabling rapid and finely tuned cellular responses. Their ability to regulate cellular signaling pathways is particularly significant, as it requires a careful balance between flexibility and precision. Disruption of this balance can lead to pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and viral infections. Consequently, biomolecular condensates have emerged as promising therapeutic targets, with the potential to offer novel approaches to disease treatment. In this review, we present the recent insights into the regulatory mechanisms by which biomolecular condensates influence intracellular signaling pathways, their roles in health and disease, and potential strategies for modulating condensate dynamics as a therapeutic approach. Understanding these emerging principles may provide valuable directions for developing effective treatments targeting the aberrant behavior of biomolecular condensates in various diseases.
细胞通过复杂的相互作用来协调其各种过程，精确地在空间和时间上组织生物分子。最近的发现突出了生物分子凝聚物（通过蛋白质、核酸和其他分子凝聚形成的无膜聚集体）在驱动高效且动态的细胞过程中所起的关键作用。这些凝聚物对于各种生理功能（如基因表达和细胞内信号转导）不可或缺，能够实现快速且精细调节的细胞反应。它们调节细胞信号通路的能力尤为重要，因为这需要在灵活性和精确性之间进行谨慎的平衡。这种平衡的破坏会导致包括神经退行性疾病、癌症和病毒感染在内的病理状况。因此，生物分子凝聚物已成为有前景的治疗靶点，有可能提供治疗疾病的新方法。在这篇综述中，我们阐述了关于生物分子凝聚物影响细胞内信号通路的调控机制、它们在健康和疾病中的作用以及作为一种治疗方法调节凝聚物动态的潜在策略的最新见解。理解这些新出现的原理可能为开发针对各种疾病中生物分子凝聚物异常行为的有效治疗方法提供有价值的方向。
