IQSEC-mediated signaling: molecular mechanisms and pathologies

Cells are constantly exposed to external signals that must be efficiently processed to elicit appropriate responses. Downstream of receptors that detect these cues, members of the IQSEC protein family are involved in a wide range of physiological functions, including cell trafficking and adhesion, nervous system development, neuronal plasticity, and angiogenesis. IQSEC proteins also play key roles in pathological processes such as metastasis formation in various cancers and X-linked intellectual disability.
Acting as both scaffolding and signaling proteins, IQSEC proteins function through a finely tuned choreography of protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions at specific membrane sites. We investigate these molecular mechanisms to better understand how IQSEC signaling dysfunctions contribute to disease progression, with the ultimate goal of developing innovative targeted therapies.