ICE Bioscience Publications

Source

The article was co-published by China Pharmaceutical University and ICE Bioscience.

Abstract

Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the Werner syndrome protein (WRN, also known as RecQ3) gene. As a pivotal member of the RecQ DNA helicase family, WRN facilitates essential processes in DNA replication, recombination, and repair, thus safeguarding genomic stability. In this perspective, we provide a critical analysis of WRN’s structural and biological features as well as its regulatory networks. Synthetic lethality strategies targeting WRN show promise for treating microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) cancers. We further spotlight recent developments in the discovery and design of WRN inhibitors, underlining their potential therapeutic applications.