Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (Jun 2021)
Emerging Roles of Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation in Cancer: From Protein Aggregation to Immune-Associated Signaling
- Jiahua Lu,
- Jiahua Lu,
- Jiahua Lu,
- Jiahua Lu,
- Junjie Qian,
- Junjie Qian,
- Junjie Qian,
- Junjie Qian,
- Zhentian Xu,
- Zhentian Xu,
- Zhentian Xu,
- Zhentian Xu,
- Shengyong Yin,
- Shengyong Yin,
- Shengyong Yin,
- Shengyong Yin,
- Lin Zhou,
- Lin Zhou,
- Lin Zhou,
- Lin Zhou,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Shusen Zheng,
- Wu Zhang,
- Wu Zhang
Affiliations
- Jiahua Lu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Jiahua Lu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Jiahua Lu
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Jiahua Lu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Junjie Qian
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Junjie Qian
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Junjie Qian
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Junjie Qian
- Organ Transplantation Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhentian Xu
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Zhentian Xu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Zhentian Xu
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Zhentian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Shengyong Yin
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Shengyong Yin
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Shengyong Yin
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Shengyong Yin
- Organ Transplantation Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Lin Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Lin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Lin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Lin Zhou
- Organ Transplantation Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-Organ Transplantation, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- Organ Transplantation Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Shusen Zheng
- Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
- Wu Zhang
- Organ Transplantation Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Wu Zhang
- Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital Affiliated to Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.631486
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 9
Abstract
Liquid–liquid Phase Separation (LLPS) of proteins and nucleic acids has emerged as a new paradigm in the study of cellular activities. It drives the formation of liquid-like condensates containing biomolecules in the absence of membrane structures in living cells. In addition, typical membrane-less condensates such as nuclear speckles, stress granules and cell signaling clusters play important roles in various cellular activities, including regulation of transcription, cellular stress response and signal transduction. Previous studies highlighted the biophysical and biochemical principles underlying the formation of these liquid condensates. The studies also showed how these principles determine the molecular properties, LLPS behavior, and composition of liquid condensates. While the basic rules driving LLPS are continuously being uncovered, their function in cellular activities is still unclear, especially within a pathological context. Therefore, the present review summarizes the recent progress made on the existing roles of LLPS in cancer, including cancer-related signaling pathways, transcription regulation and maintenance of genome stability. Additionally, the review briefly introduces the basic rules of LLPS, and cellular signaling that potentially plays a role in cancer, including pathways relevant to immune responses and autophagy.
Keywords
- liquid–liquid phase separation
- biomolecular condensate
- cancer mechanism
- protein aggregation
- signaling transduction
- genome stability
