β-catenin功能及核转运机制研究进展

Research progress on the function and nuclear transport mechanism of β-catenin

β-catenin蛋白是一种多功能且进化保守的分子,在生物的发育和维持稳态过程中发挥重要作用。它通过Wnt信号通路参与细胞内信号传导,在细胞膜上与E-cadherin相互作用维持细胞黏附,进入细胞核内激活下游转录因子,促进多种肿瘤的发生和发展。尽管大多数细胞蛋白质都是通过经典转运途径完成核转运,但β-catenin的独特结构导致其不能通过该途径进行核转运。目前关于β-catenin核转运的分子机制尚未完全明了,通过深入研究这一过程,对于发现潜在肿瘤生物标志物和疾病治疗靶点具有重要的临床意义。本文综述了β-catenin的结构特征及其在细胞膜、细胞质和细胞核中的功能,重点总结其核转运机制的最新研究,为深入研究这一重要分子机制提供了新的思路。

β-catenin is a multifunctional and evolutionarily conserved protein that plays a crucial role in development and maintaining homeostasis.It participates in intracellular signal transduction through the Wnt signaling pathway and interacts with E-cadherin at the cell membrane to maintain cell adhesion.Upontranslocation into the nucleus,β-catenin activates downstream transcription factors,promoting the initiation and progression of various tumors.Although most cellular proteins are transported into the nucleus via classical transport pathways,the unique structure ofβ-catenin prevents its transport through these conventional mechanisms.The molecular mechanisms underlyingβ-catenin’s nuclear translocation remain incompletely understood.Further research into this process holds significant clinical potential for identifying novel tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets.This review summarizes the structure ofβ-catenin and its functions in the cell membrane,cytoplasm,and nucleus,with a particular focus on the latest advances in understanding its nuclear transport mechanisms,providing new perspectives for further research into this crucial molecular process.