PICK1：一个功能多样的药靶蛋白

蛋白质是生命功能的执行者.生命体中某些关键蛋白的功能异常往往是导致疾病发生的根本原因.这些疾病相关蛋白极有可能成为药物靶点，为新药研发和疾病治疗提供重要线索. PICK1蛋白（protein interacting with Cα kinase 1）结合能力广泛、功能多样以及在多种重要疾病（如：癌症、精神分裂症、疼痛、帕金森综合症等）的发生发展过程中发挥潜在的作用，使其成为一个可能的药靶蛋白. PICK1与绝大多数配体蛋白的相互作用是通过其PDZ结构域与配体C末端区域的结合介导的，使PICK1的PDZ结构域成为一个潜在的药物靶点.因此，可以利用生物小分子物质特异性地结合PICK1的PDZ结构域，干扰或阻断PICK1与配体蛋白的天然相互作用，最终达到治疗相关疾病的目的.

PICK1, A Potential Drug Target Protein with Diverse Functions

Proteins perform most of functions in life. The abnormalities of key proteins may lead to diseases. Some of those proteins are potential targets for developing drugs. PICK1（protein interacting with Cα kinase 1）, which is involved in the interactions between many different proteins in a variety of cellular contexts, is believed to play important roles in diverse pathological conditions such as cancer, schizophrenia, pain and Parkinson's disease, etc, thereby being believed to a potential drug target protein. Most of the interactions between PICK1 and its ligand proteins are mediated by its PDZ domain recognition of carboxyl terminal PDZ binding motifs of target proteins. The well-characterized binding properties of PDZ domain enable it a promising drug binding site. Targeting PDZ by blocking peptides or small molecules may be able to disrupt the interactions between PICK1 and its binding partners, and would be a feasible method for the development of drugs against related diseases.