Modulators of Protein–Protein Interactions

Direct interactions between proteins are essential for the regulation of their functions in biological pathways. Targeting the complex network of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) has now been widely recognized as an attractive means to therapeutically intervene in disease states. Even though this is a challenging endeavor and PPIs have long been regarded as ‘undruggable’ targets, the last two decades have seen an increasing number of successful examples of PPI modulators resulting in a growing interest in this field. PPI modulation requires novel approaches and the integrated efforts of multiple disciplines to be a fruitful strategy. This Perspective focuses on the hub protein 14-3-3, which has several hundred identified protein interaction partners and is therefore involved in a wide range of cellular processes and diseases. Here, we aim to provide an integrated overview of the approaches explored for the modulation of 14-3-3 PPIs and review the examples resulting from these efforts in both inhibiting and stabilizing specific 14-3-3 protein complexes by small molecules, peptide-mimetics and natural products.