{
  "id": 5996124,
  "title": "The cell cycle regulates cell-penetrating peptide cytosolic uptake via differential expression of KCNH1 potassium channel",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/the-cell-cycle-regulates-cell-penetrating-peptide-cytosolic-uptake",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-06T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.01.748619v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Cell membrane potential fluctuations, regulated by ion channels, play a crucial role in various cellular processes, including the direct translocation of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) into the cytosol. While the efficiency of CPP direct translocation varies among cells, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study utilized an unbiased transcriptomic approach to uncover genes implicated in efficient CPP cytosolic uptake. The findings revealed a strong correlation between the expression of cell cycle-related genes and a cell's ability to directly take up CPPs. Using the PIP-FUCCI system, researchers monitored cell cycle phases and discovered that CPP direct translocation was most efficient during the G2/M and S phases, while least efficient during the G1 phase. This efficiency correlates with the plasma membrane potential: cells in the G2/M and S phases exhibited greater polarity compared to those in the G1 phase. The KCNH1 voltage-gated potassium channel expression peaked in the cell cycle phases most favorable for CPP direct translocation. Inhibiting KCNH1 channels effectively blocked CPP direct translocation during these phases. These results suggest that KCNH1 dynamically controls plasma membrane potential in a cell cycle-dependent manner, thereby influencing CPP uptake efficiency. The study underscores the significance of the cell cycle in regulating CPP uptake and highlights the need to consider plasma membrane potential variations in the development of CPP-based therapeutics and their applications.",
  "summary": "Membrane potential fluctuations, driven by ion channel activity, are important regulators of processes such as action potential propagation in neurons and muscle cell contraction. These variations also occur in non-excitable cells, influencing various cellular processes, including, but not limited to, direct translocation of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) into the cytosol. CPPs are cationic…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}