Cell Chemical BiologyPub Date : 2026-07-16Epub Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.001
Natália Ketelut-Carneiro, Anukriti Mathur, Katherine A. Fitzgerald
{"title":"Licensed to pore: Gasdermins in action","authors":"Natália Ketelut-Carneiro, Anukriti Mathur, Katherine A. Fitzgerald","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gasdermins (GSDMs) are a conserved family of pore-forming proteins that execute pyroptosis. Proteolytic activation of GSDMs by caspases, granzymes, or microbial enzymes liberates the N-terminal domain, which oligomerizes and inserts into membranes to form pores, releasing interleukin-1 cytokines, alarmins, and cytosolic contents. Recent structural and biochemical studies have provided mechanistic insight into GSDM cleavage, lipid recognition, and post-translational modifications, which regulate pore formation and pyroptosis. GSDMs sit at the nexus of host defense and pathology, simultaneously constraining pathogens while amplifying tissue injury, septic shock, and chronic inflammation. In sterile contexts, GSDMs contribute to autoimmunity and barrier injury while paradoxically supporting tissue regeneration. Their roles in cancer are highly context-dependent, spanning across tumor suppression, immune activation, and immune evasion. Emerging therapeutic strategies, including small-molecule inhibitors and agonists, underscore the translational potential of targeting GSDMs. This review integrates mechanistic, physiological, and translational advances defining GSDMs as versatile regulators of immunity and disease.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 7","pages":"Pages 982-1004"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148142000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kristine E. Zengeler, Rebecca E. Tweedell, Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti
{"title":"PANoptosis in life and death across cell types: From innate immunity to therapeutic implications","authors":"Kristine E. Zengeler, Rebecca E. Tweedell, Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Innate immune cell death is a fundamental mechanism used by organisms to respond to perturbations, including infection, tissue damage, and cancer. However, excessive cell death can be inflammatory and cause pathology. PANoptosis has emerged as a distinct, lytic, inflammatory cell death pathway initiated by innate immune sensors and driven by caspases and receptor-interacting protein kinases through multiprotein PANoptosome complexes. Genetic, biochemical, and imaging evidence initially identified PANoptosis in macrophages but now indicates that it operates across diverse immune, non-immune, and cancer cell types, where it drives host defense, inflammation, and pathology. In this review, we critically evaluate current evidence for PANoptosis as a unique and central cell death pathway across cell types and disease contexts, elucidating the key molecular mechanisms that govern its activation. We discuss emerging insights into PANoptosome biology, the physiological and pathological functions of PANoptosis, and how cell type-specific regulation shapes disease outcomes. Finally, we highlight the therapeutic opportunities and challenges associated with the cell-selective modulation of PANoptosis to improve treatment of infectious, inflammatory, and malignant diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 7","pages":"Pages 1021-1037"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148461555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cell Chemical BiologyPub Date : 2026-07-16Epub Date: 2026-07-06DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.005
Xingxing Xie, Daichao Xu
{"title":"Mechanism and regulation of programmed cell death in aging-related diseases","authors":"Xingxing Xie, Daichao Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aging and its associated diseases are characterized by a complex interplay of cellular dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and tissue degeneration. Dysregulated cell death and the resulting inflammatory responses are pivotal drivers of this pathological synergy. Among various cell demise pathways, programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms, including apoptosis, necroptosis, and pyroptosis, are critical for maintaining homeostasis but can drive pathology when aberrantly activated. Crucially, they leave specific and reliable biomarkers, allowing for their distinct assessment in complex aging tissues. This review synthesizes recent insights into the intricate regulation and execution of these PCD pathways, their interconnections with inflammatory signaling, and their impact on the pathogenesis of aging and aging-related diseases. We further highlight how the integrated understanding of these cell death pathways opens avenues for targeted therapies in aging-associated disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 7","pages":"Pages 914-937"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148395369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cell Chemical BiologyPub Date : 2026-07-16Epub Date: 2026-05-14DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.009
Dadi Jiang, Li Zhuang, Albert C. Koong, Boyi Gan
{"title":"Metabolic underpinnings of cuproptosis","authors":"Dadi Jiang, Li Zhuang, Albert C. Koong, Boyi Gan","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cuproptosis is a recently defined form of regulated cell death (RCD) driven by copper-induced mitochondrial proteotoxic stress. Distinct from other RCD pathways such as apoptosis and ferroptosis, cuproptosis arises when copper binds to lipoylated metabolic enzymes in mitochondria, leading to their aggregation, loss of iron-sulfur cluster proteins, and metabolic collapse. This discovery establishes a mechanistic link between metal homeostasis and mitochondrial metabolism, positioning cuproptosis as a “cell-sabotage” pathway in which essential metabolic processes become self-destructive when dysregulated. In this review, we synthesize recent advances in understanding the molecular and metabolic basis of cuproptosis, its intersection with other metabolic cell death pathways such as ferroptosis, and its emerging therapeutic relevance in cancer. We further discuss the potential involvement of cuproptosis-like mechanisms in neurodegenerative disorders and highlight the outstanding questions and translational challenges that will guide future efforts to exploit this unique metabolic vulnerability for disease intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 7","pages":"Pages 1005-1020"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147947300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dehan Comez, Stephanie M Anbuhl, Simon Platt, Oliver C Isaac, Noemi Karsai, Robert Markus, Marco Siderius, Martine J Smit, Raimond Heukers, Laura E Kilpatrick, Stephen J Hill
{"title":"CXCR4-EGFR heteromers show ligand-dependent changes in conformation and signaling.","authors":"Dehan Comez, Stephanie M Anbuhl, Simon Platt, Oliver C Isaac, Noemi Karsai, Robert Markus, Marco Siderius, Martine J Smit, Raimond Heukers, Laura E Kilpatrick, Stephen J Hill","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.06.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The chemokine CXCR4 receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are cell surface receptors that are overexpressed in numerous types of cancer. In this study, we have investigated the formation of CXCR4-EGFR heteromers using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) and nanobody-based proximity ligation assays (PLAs). The present study demonstrated that EGFR and CXCR4 can form oligomeric complexes that were capable of coupling to PLCγ, Gi proteins and β-arrestin-2. The presence of these oligomeric complexes was detected by PLA in native HeLa cells at endogenous levels of expression using receptor-selective nanobody-oligonucleotide conjugates. Furthermore, the individual receptor components of the oligomer underwent conformation changes in response to EGF and CXCL12, which in the case of Gi-signalling led to altered responses to combinations of CXCL12 and EGF. This may have clinical implications in those cancers where both EGFR and CXCR4 are overexpressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148443904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shinpei Uno, Stuart T Caldwell, Hiran A Prag, Chak Shun Yu, Lucie J Lamačová, María Torres-López, Andrew M James, Ana Lopez, Taylor A Woetzel, Angeleen Fleming, David C Rubinsztein, Richard C Hartley, Michael P Murphy
{"title":"Assessment of mitochondrial lipid peroxidation in cells and zebrafish using a targeted mass spectrometry probe.","authors":"Shinpei Uno, Stuart T Caldwell, Hiran A Prag, Chak Shun Yu, Lucie J Lamačová, María Torres-López, Andrew M James, Ana Lopez, Taylor A Woetzel, Angeleen Fleming, David C Rubinsztein, Richard C Hartley, Michael P Murphy","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.015","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mitochondrial lipid peroxidation is a major component of oxidative damage and is also thought to contribute to ferroptosis. Lipid peroxidation is generally assessed from the accumulation of oxidized end products, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). However, these report on damage throughout the cell and are affected by changes in how oxidized phospholipids are turned over. To overcome these constraints, we developed MitoLiPOX, a mitochondria-targeted mass spectrometry probe. Mitochondria targeting and detection sensitivity were achieved by incorporating a lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cation. Responsiveness to lipid peroxidation was brought about by building in a bis-allylic carbon-hydrogen bond mimic that, upon oxidation and processing, generated a single product, MitoLiPOX-OH. LC-MS/MS quantification of MitoLiPOX-OH followed by normalization to the amount of MitoLiPOX present enabled ratiometric quantification of mitochondrial lipid peroxidation. We then used MitoLiPOX to assess mitochondrial lipid peroxidation during ferroptosis in vitro and in zebrafish in vivo.</p>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148358807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qingqing Chu , Yihang Li , Zeming Wu , Jing Qu , Guang-Hui Liu
{"title":"Mechanisms and interventions of epigenetic aging","authors":"Qingqing Chu , Yihang Li , Zeming Wu , Jing Qu , Guang-Hui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Increasing evidence suggests that epigenetic dysregulation is both a hallmark and a potential driving force of aging. As a multifactorial, non-linear, and systemic biological process, aging likely results from a progressive imbalance in a complex epigenetic network involving DNA, histones, RNA, and non-coding sequences. These interconnected alterations collectively lead to core aging features such as genomic instability, heightened inflammation, and loss of cellular identity. In this review, we highlight the central role of epigenetic mechanisms across different dimensions in cellular, tissue, and organismal aging. Furthermore, we discuss potential intervention strategies designed to counteract these epigenetic alterations, indicating both their promise and the associated challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 6","pages":"Pages 748-766"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148274672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cell Chemical BiologyPub Date : 2026-06-18Epub Date: 2026-05-27DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.016
Stephen M. Hinshaw , Linjie Yuan , Md Abdullah Al Noman , Michael J. Martinez , Gianna M. Colombo , Brendan G. Dwyer , Wenzhi Ji , Bryan A. Romero , Ines Forrest , Joey Lu , Jing Bian , Trae B. Dunn , Ethan R. Garvin , Daniel Fernandez , Tinghu Zhang , Nathanael S. Gray , Steven M. Corsello
{"title":"The molecular basis for nuclear pore destruction by a proximity-inducing molecular glue","authors":"Stephen M. Hinshaw , Linjie Yuan , Md Abdullah Al Noman , Michael J. Martinez , Gianna M. Colombo , Brendan G. Dwyer , Wenzhi Ji , Bryan A. Romero , Ines Forrest , Joey Lu , Jing Bian , Trae B. Dunn , Ethan R. Garvin , Daniel Fernandez , Tinghu Zhang , Nathanael S. Gray , Steven M. Corsello","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Molecular glues that induce new protein interactions can be potent therapeutics. We and others recently discovered that the small molecule PRLX-93936 (PRLX), which was originally developed as an erastin derivative with antitumor activity, is a molecular glue that alters the substrate specificity of the TRIM21 ubiquitin ligase. PRLX causes TRIM21 to bind the nuclear pore protein NUP98, triggering nuclear pore complex (NPC) degradation. We present here the structural and biochemical basis of NUP98 recognition, finding that ternary complex assembly depends on the creation of a composite TRIM21-small molecule surface competent for NUP98 binding. A scarcity of direct small molecule-NUP98 contacts likely explains how multiple structurally diverse TRIM21 ligands can induce NPC degradation. We also report the discovery of an enhanced molecular glue, MAN-021, and describe its structure. Our findings provide a basis for rational development of next-generation small molecules with enhanced or differentiated activities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 6","pages":"Pages 799-809.e10"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148040222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cell Chemical BiologyPub Date : 2026-06-18Epub Date: 2026-05-07DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.006
Eury Kwon, Daseuli Yu, Jihwan Yu, Hyun-Jin Kim, Yeonji Jeong, Heung Kyu Lee, Won Do Heo
{"title":"An extracellular, optogenetic antibody platform for stimulus-gated antigen recognition and modulation of cell behavior","authors":"Eury Kwon, Daseuli Yu, Jihwan Yu, Hyun-Jin Kim, Yeonji Jeong, Heung Kyu Lee, Won Do Heo","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.04.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Here, we present extrabody, an activatable, modular antibody platform that enables optogenetic or chemical reassembly of split antibody fragments for inducible extracellular antigen recognition. We demonstrate compatibility across diverse targets, including GFP, mCherry, and the tumor-associated antigens EGFR and HER2, and show that both nanobody- and scFv-derived fragments support light-dependent reconstitution. Extrabody enables input-gated cell-cell interactions and antigen transfer, providing external control over intercellular communication. Integration with synNotch receptors and chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) further allows dual-input regulation of downstream responses, including gene expression, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity. Together, these results establish extrabody as a versatile and generalizable interface for externally controlled cellular communication and synthetic signaling.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 6","pages":"Pages 848-861.e6"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147855551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A defense-like route to gene transfer agent release","authors":"Franklin L. Nobrega","doi":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.chembiol.2026.05.014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In a paper recently published in <em>Nature Microbiology</em>, Banks et al.<span><span><sup>1</sup></span></span> identify LypABC, a CARD-NLR-like module required for gene transfer agent (GTA) release in <em>Caulobacter crescentus</em>. The work uncovers an unexpected lysis pathway and suggests that modules resembling bacterial defense systems can be repurposed within domesticated phage-derived elements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":265,"journal":{"name":"Cell Chemical Biology","volume":"33 6","pages":"Pages 745-747"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148275389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}