From membranes to medicine: Emerging insights into Ezrin's Role in human disease - A comprehensive overview

Ezrin, a dynamic member of the Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin (ERM) family, plays a crucial role in orchestrating fundamental cellular functions, including membrane-cytoskeleton interactions, signal transduction, cell adhesion, migration, and immune regulation. Due to its broad functional repertoire, Ezrin has been increasingly recognized for its involvement in the pathogenesis of numerous human diseases, ranging from cancers and neurodegenerative disorders to renal and i conditions. In the central nervous system, Ezrin contributes to neurological homeostasis by preserving blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, modulating neuroinflammatory responses, and supporting synaptic plasticity and neuronal viability. Over the past few decades, scientific interest in Ezrin has grown significantly, as reflected by a marked increase in publications detailing its physiological and pathological roles. This review provides a comprehensive and uniquely alphabetized overview of Ezrin associations with a wide array of diseases, making it the first of its kind to catalog Ezrin biological relevance from A to Z. We examine its structural and biochemical characteristics, underscoring its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker, as well as an emerging therapeutic target. By addressing critical knowledge gaps, this review highlights Ezrin central role at the intersection of cancer biology, immunology, and neurotherapeutics.