Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis

Abstract Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by overactivated inflammation and a dysregulated immune response caused by infection. The predominant mechanism underlying the vulnerability and severity of sepsis has not been fully elucidated. Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a...

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Main Authors: Huiyi Chen, Shunyi Huang, Longcheng Quan, Caiyuan Yu, Yang Zhu, Xiaocong Sun, Yuanli Zhang, Liehua Deng, Feng Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-07-01
Series:Cell Death Discovery
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02599-2
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author Huiyi Chen
Shunyi Huang
Longcheng Quan
Caiyuan Yu
Yang Zhu
Xiaocong Sun
Yuanli Zhang
Liehua Deng
Feng Chen
author_facet Huiyi Chen
Shunyi Huang
Longcheng Quan
Caiyuan Yu
Yang Zhu
Xiaocong Sun
Yuanli Zhang
Liehua Deng
Feng Chen
author_sort Huiyi Chen
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by overactivated inflammation and a dysregulated immune response caused by infection. The predominant mechanism underlying the vulnerability and severity of sepsis has not been fully elucidated. Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a recently discovered, powerful mechanism that drives the formation of membraneless organelles and their biological functions. In particular, emerging evidence indicates that multiple core proteins involved in immune responses, inflammatory signalling, and programmed cell death are organized as protein condensates through LLPS. Here, we present an up-to-date review of the hypothesis that LLPS may underlie the fundamental mechanisms of sepsis, with a focus on the immune system response, changes in inflammatory signalling, and programmed cell death, with the goal of advancing our understanding of the pathological mechanisms of sepsis.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2058-7716
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Publishing Group
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series Cell Death Discovery
spelling doaj-art-ef8ffe5bd3c24c98bb612f7e337314742025-08-20T03:45:45ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death Discovery2058-77162025-07-0111111110.1038/s41420-025-02599-2Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsisHuiyi Chen0Shunyi Huang1Longcheng Quan2Caiyuan Yu3Yang Zhu4Xiaocong Sun5Yuanli Zhang6Liehua Deng7Feng Chen8Department of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Gerontology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical UniversityAbstract Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by overactivated inflammation and a dysregulated immune response caused by infection. The predominant mechanism underlying the vulnerability and severity of sepsis has not been fully elucidated. Liquid‒liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a recently discovered, powerful mechanism that drives the formation of membraneless organelles and their biological functions. In particular, emerging evidence indicates that multiple core proteins involved in immune responses, inflammatory signalling, and programmed cell death are organized as protein condensates through LLPS. Here, we present an up-to-date review of the hypothesis that LLPS may underlie the fundamental mechanisms of sepsis, with a focus on the immune system response, changes in inflammatory signalling, and programmed cell death, with the goal of advancing our understanding of the pathological mechanisms of sepsis.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02599-2
spellingShingle Huiyi Chen
Shunyi Huang
Longcheng Quan
Caiyuan Yu
Yang Zhu
Xiaocong Sun
Yuanli Zhang
Liehua Deng
Feng Chen
Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
Cell Death Discovery
title Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
title_full Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
title_fullStr Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
title_full_unstemmed Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
title_short Liquid‒liquid phase separation: a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
title_sort liquid liquid phase separation a potentially fundamental mechanism of sepsis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-025-02599-2
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