Cereblon (CRBN)
Cereblon (CRBN) is an intracellular multifunctional protein that functions as a component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase system and cooperates with other elements of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway.
Cereblon (CRBN) is an intracellular multifunctional protein that functions as a component of an E3 ubiquitin ligase system and cooperates with other elements of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Its biological importance derives in part from its ability to bind immunomodulatory drugs such as lenalidomide and to participate in the selective ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of recruited proteins.
CRBN has become a central pharmacological target for targeted protein degradation. Cereblon-recruiting molecular glue degraders can promote degradation of proteins such as IKZF1, IKZF3, GSPT1, GSPT2, CK1α, and SCD, whereas CRBN-recruiting proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) use a bifunctional design to bring CRBN-containing ligase machinery into proximity with a selected target. These mechanisms have been investigated in multiple myeloma, immune-cell regulation, cancer therapy, and drug-delivery development.
Where the papers sit
10 papers from the last 6 months study Cereblon (CRBN) directly · updated from PubMed 27 Oct 2026
Study type 0 clinical trials · 1 observational · 3 human data · 3 preclinical · 3 unclassified
Themes one subject · 1 new direction
Those 10 are all about one subject.
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CRBN-Targeted Protein Degradation
CRBN-recruiting degraders are expanding from discovery chemistry toward selective control of diverse disease proteins. PROTACs and molecular glues now target BTK, ATR, FAAH and IKZF1/IKZF3, with structural studies guiding warhead design, binding and degradation mechanisms. Preclinical work emphasizes antitumor activity and, with mezigdomide, reversal of T-cell exhaustion. Radiolabeled lenalidomide, synthesis platforms and CRBN biomarker studies broaden translation, but selectivity and clinical validation remain open.
CRBN is proposed as an early prognostic biomarker in paediatric sepsis
The paediatric sepsis prospective observational study protocol treats CRBN not as a component recruited by therapeutic degraders but as a measurable immune-related biomarker whose expression may predict disease trajectory and mortality in children with sepsis 42613111Aug. Whereas the other abstracts use CRBN chiefly as an intracellular binding partner or E3-ligase recruitment element for drug design and targeted protein degradation, this study gives it a clinical prognostic role in an acute infectious disease. If validated, that would shift CRBN from a pharmacological mechanism into a tool for early triage and outcome prediction.
Papers
The 10 papers from the last 6 months that study Cereblon (CRBN) directly, newest first, by theme and by study type. Study types come from PubMed publication types and MeSH headings.
By theme
CRBN-Targeted Protein Degradation (10)
- Discovery of Highly Potent and Selective, Orally Bioavailable BTK-Targeting PROTACs Featuring Novel CRBN-Binding Warheads. Journal of medicinal chemistry · 10 Sept 2026 PMID 42720469
- Chelator Free Radiolabeling and Preclinical Evaluation of η6-Arene Sandwich Complexes of Lenalidomide With Rhenium and Technetium-99m. Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology · 21 Aug 2026 PMID 42627009
- Development of Cereblon (CRBN) as an early prognostic biomarker in Paediatric Sepsis: a Prospective Observational Study Protocol. BMJ open · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42613111
- Generalizable Strategies for the Synthesis of Cereblon-Recruiting PROTAC Prodrugs. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42554619
- Rational design, molecular characterization and dissociation mechanisms of PROTACs targeting hFAAH. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP · 23 Jun 2026 PMID 42333818
- Hydrophobic Tag Degraders Overcome Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer by Recruiting HSP27-Mediated E3 Ligase Complex for ERα Proteasomal Degradation. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 26 May 2026 PMID 42189698
- Discovery of a selective and effective CRBN-recruiting ATR degrader with strong antitumor activity. European journal of medicinal chemistry · 23 May 2026 PMID 42176651
- A Scalable, Direct-to-Biology Platform for Accelerated Discovery of Cereblon-Based Molecular Glue Degraders. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 18 May 2026 PMID 42149616
- Mezigdomide reverses T-cell exhaustion through degradation of IKZF1/IKZF3 and reinvigoration of cytokine production pathways. Blood · 12 May 2026 PMID 42118707
- Backbone resonance assignment of the Thalidomide Binding Domain (TBD) of cereblon. Biomolecular NMR assignments · 8 May 2026 PMID 42101529
By study type
Observational studies and case reports (1)
- Development of Cereblon (CRBN) as an early prognostic biomarker in Paediatric Sepsis: a Prospective Observational Study Protocol. BMJ open · 18 Aug 2026 PMID 42613111
Human data, design not indexed (3)
- A Scalable, Direct-to-Biology Platform for Accelerated Discovery of Cereblon-Based Molecular Glue Degraders. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 18 May 2026 PMID 42149616
- Mezigdomide reverses T-cell exhaustion through degradation of IKZF1/IKZF3 and reinvigoration of cytokine production pathways. Blood · 12 May 2026 PMID 42118707
- Backbone resonance assignment of the Thalidomide Binding Domain (TBD) of cereblon. Biomolecular NMR assignments · 8 May 2026 PMID 42101529
Preclinical: animal, cell and lab studies (3)
- Discovery of Highly Potent and Selective, Orally Bioavailable BTK-Targeting PROTACs Featuring Novel CRBN-Binding Warheads. Journal of medicinal chemistry · 10 Sept 2026 PMID 42720469
- Chelator Free Radiolabeling and Preclinical Evaluation of η6-Arene Sandwich Complexes of Lenalidomide With Rhenium and Technetium-99m. Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology · 21 Aug 2026 PMID 42627009
- Discovery of a selective and effective CRBN-recruiting ATR degrader with strong antitumor activity. European journal of medicinal chemistry · 23 May 2026 PMID 42176651
Unclassified: not yet indexed with MeSH (3)
- Generalizable Strategies for the Synthesis of Cereblon-Recruiting PROTAC Prodrugs. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 5 Aug 2026 PMID 42554619
- Rational design, molecular characterization and dissociation mechanisms of PROTACs targeting hFAAH. Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP · 23 Jun 2026 PMID 42333818
- Hydrophobic Tag Degraders Overcome Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer by Recruiting HSP27-Mediated E3 Ligase Complex for ERα Proteasomal Degradation. Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 26 May 2026 PMID 42189698
Written from 10 PubMed abstracts, each one listed by PMID above. Published: 2026-08-29. Last written: 2026-09-12 by GPT. Drafted by language models from published abstracts; not medical advice.