Friend or foe: The role of stress granule in neurodegenerative disease

Qinqin Cui; Zongyu Liu; Ge Bai

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.025

Friend or foe: The role of stress granule in neurodegenerative disease

Neuron. 2024 May 7:S0896-6273(24)00286-1. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.025. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Qinqin Cui¹, Zongyu Liu², Ge Bai³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China. Electronic address: cuiqinqin@zju.edu.cn.
² Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
³ Department of Neurology of Second Affiliated Hospital and School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute, Hangzhou 311100, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-Machine Integration, State Key Laboratory of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 311121, China; NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Institute of Fundamental and Transdisciplinary Research, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. Electronic address: gebai@zju.edu.cn.

PMID: 38744273
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.025

Abstract

Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic membraneless organelles that form in response to cellular stress. SGs are predominantly composed of RNA and RNA-binding proteins that assemble through liquid-liquid phase separation. Although the formation of SGs is considered a transient and protective response to cellular stress, their dysregulation or persistence may contribute to various neurodegenerative diseases. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of SG physiology and pathology. It covers the formation, composition, regulation, and functions of SGs, along with their crosstalk with other membrane-bound and membraneless organelles. Furthermore, this review discusses the dual roles of SGs as both friends and foes in neurodegenerative diseases and explores potential therapeutic approaches targeting SGs. The challenges and future perspectives in this field are also highlighted. A more profound comprehension of the intricate relationship between SGs and neurodegenerative diseases could inspire the development of innovative therapeutic interventions against these devastating diseases.

Keywords: neurodegenerative disease; phase separation; stress granule.

Publication types

Review