VPS18

VPS18, also known as PEP3, is widely expressed in various tissues, with particularly high expression levels in bone marrow and kidneys. The mechanism of action of VPS18 involves its role as a core subunit of the CORVET and HOPS complexes, which are involved in mediating membrane transport processes, especially those associated with late endosomes/lysosomes, and may facilitate vesicle transport steps in the endosome/lysosome pathway. VPS18 is crucial for maintaining the proper sorting and trafficking of intracellular proteins, and its dysfunction may be associated with certain genetic disorders, such as Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. VPS18 also participates in regulating important physiological functions such as neuronal survival, migration, and dendritic development, providing new theoretical basis and insights for the diagnosis and prevention of new strategies for human neurodegenerative diseases.