10/03/2025
Scientists have discovered that a protein called GRP78, first identified in the 1960s, plays a much bigger role in health and disease than originally thought. Normally, GRP78 helps cells manage stress inside a compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it ensures proteins are folded correctly. In a recent article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Amy S. Lee, an expert and pioneer in the field of GRP78, highlighted how this protein is far more versatile than once believed. New research shows that under stress, GRP78 can move to other parts of the cell and take on surprising new functions. On the cell surface, it can act like a receptor that helps drugs, or even viruses enter. In the nucleus, it can reprogram gene activity, reshaping how cells behave. These unexpected roles make GRP78 a critical player in diseases like cancer and COVID-19, opening the door to therapies that could target both tumor growth and viral infections. Learn more by clicking here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2412246122.
“The discovery that ER stress actively promotes GRP78’s relocation to other parts of the cell, where it takes on roles as a receptor, a viral gateway, and even a gene regulator represents a paradigm shift.” - Amy S. Lee
