Research on the cell’s “health escort”: Prof. Marta Miączyńska among co-authors of a review article in Nature

Researchers from the USA, Norway, and Poland have joined forces to explore how internal logistics operate within a cell. Their review, published in the prestigious journal Nature, examines what happens when ESCRT complexes – often referred to as the cell’s “escort” – fail to function properly.

ESCRT complexes (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport), found in both animal and plant cells, are assemblies of proteins responsible for shaping and severing membranes inside the cell. These tiny molecular machines are essential for proper protein sorting and disposal, cell division, immune responses, and even neuronal function. Although they have only been studied for less than a quarter of a century, their fundamental role in maintaining cellular homeostasis is already well established.

The authors of the review article – researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Oslo, and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) – examined the links between ESCRT dysfunction and cancer, immune, and neurological diseases. One of the co-authors is Prof. Marta Miączyńska, Director of IIMCB and Head of the Laboratory of Cell Biology. Her contribution to the article focused on the roles of ESCRT in infections, immunity, and cancer.

“For example, impaired ESCRT activity in processes such as cell division and nuclear envelope repair can promote genetic instability in cancer cells, while aberrant production of extracellular vesicles (exosomes) may suppress anti-tumor immune responses,” explains Prof. Marta Miączyńska.

The article’s topic reflects current global research trends. In 2024, Scott Emr and Wesley Sundquist – pioneers of ESCRT studies – received the prestigious Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize, often regarded as a precursor to the Nobel Prize. Wesley Sundquist demonstrated that ESCRT is not only essential for cell division but is also hijacked by the HIV virus for replication. This discovery contributed to the development of new and effective anti-AIDS therapies.

“Being invited to co-author a publication in Nature is a recognition of the research we are conducting in Poland. We have shown that ESCRT complexes can dampen inflammatory responses and represent potential therapeutic targets in oncology,” said Prof. Marta Miączyńska, Director of IIMCB.

The review article "The expanding repertoire of ESCRT functions in cell biology and disease" is available here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08950-y