SNARE proteins as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in central nervous system tumors

Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins constitute the core molecular machinery that drives intracellular vesicular trafficking and membrane fusion in eukaryotic cells. Beyond their canonical roles in neurotransmitter release, autophagic flux, and exosome secretion, accumulating evidence indicates that dysregulated SNARE expression and function contribute to tumor progression. In central nervous system tumors (CNSTs), aberrant SNARE activity has been increasingly implicated in invasive growth, chemotherapy resistance, and tumor microenvironment remodeling. Guided by the 2021 World Health Organization classification of tumors of the central nervous system (WHO CNS5), this review summarizes current advances on the pathogenic roles of SNARE proteins in glioblastoma, medulloblastoma, meningioma, and pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, and discusses their translational potential as molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets for precision neuro-oncology.