Scaffold Proteins and their Roles in Human Diseases
Abstract
Scaffold proteins are critical regulators of important cell signaling pathways. Though scaffolds are not stringently defined in meaning, they are known to interact with numerous components of a signaling pathway, binding and bridging them into distinct and functional complexes. They control signal transduction and assist the localization of pathway components (organized in complexes) to definite regions of the cell such as the endosomes, plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, mitochondria, Golgi, and the nucleus. Years of research in this field have revealed the versatility of this class of protein and the important role it plays in maintaining the normal functions of the human body. Here, we discuss the role of several scaffold proteins which are implicated in important signaling pathways that play important roles in cardiac diseases, metabolic diseases, neurological disorders, and cancer. Their versatility and functions in human diseases make them attractive drug targets, several of which have been investigated in clinical trials. Future studies of scaffold proteins should give us an in-depth knowledge of how cell signaling works in normal and pathological conditions and would offer avenues to disrupt harmful cellular pathways to circumvent diseases.
