Research Progress on Targeting Nuclear Liquid-liquid Phase Separation for Developing Anti-tumor Drugs

Liquid-liquid phase separation(LLPS) has been shown to have a universal regulatory role in the basic biochemical pathways of cells. Recent evidence suggests that LLPS dysregulation is an important driving factor in tumor initiation and progression. By revealing the mechanism of action of LLPS in coordinating biological pathways, the molecular basis of cancer initiation and progression can be elucidated, and new avenues for molecular intervention can be opened up. This article describes the basic types of nuclear LLPS and reviews their roles as anti-tumor drug targets in assembling super-enhancers for gene transcription regulation, enhancing nuclear receptors’ transcription activity, regulating RNA epigenetics, and driving tumor initiation. The article also introduces the research progress of candidate drugs related to LLPS using examples such as androgen receptor AR and nuclear m6A reader YTHDC1, providing new ideas for drug development.