Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Baldinger Str., 35043 Marburg, Germany.
Arch Biochem Biophys. 2012 Aug 1;524(1):64-70. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2012.01.009. Epub 2012 Jan 24.
Intercellular junctional complexes such as adherens junctions and tight junctions are critical regulators of cellular polarity, paracellular permeability and metabolic and structural integrity of cellular networks. Abundant expression analysis data have yielded insights into the complex pattern of differentially expressed cell-adhesion proteins in epithelial cancers and provide a useful platform for functional, preclinical and clinical evaluation of novel targets.
This review will focus on the role of claudin-4, an integral constituent of tight junctions, in the pathophysiology of epithelial malignancies with particular focus pancreatic cancer, and its potential applicability for prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
Claudin-4 expression is widely dysregulated in epithelial malignancies and in a number of premalignant precursor lesions. Although the functional implications are only starting to unravel, claudin-4 seems to play an important role in tumour cell invasion and metastasis, and its dual role as receptor of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) opens exciting avenues for molecular targeted approaches.
Claudin-4 constitutes a promising molecular marker for prognosis, diagnosis and therapy of epithelial malignancies.
细胞间连接复合体，如黏附连接和紧密连接，是细胞极性、细胞旁通透性以及细胞网络代谢和结构完整性的关键调节剂。丰富的表达分析数据深入了解了上皮性癌中细胞黏附蛋白差异表达的复杂模式，并为新型靶点的功能、临床前和临床评估提供了有用的平台。
本文将重点关注紧密连接的组成部分紧密连接蛋白-4（claudin-4）在胰腺等上皮性恶性肿瘤的病理生理学中的作用，并探讨其在预后、诊断和治疗方面的潜在应用价值。
claudin-4 在多种上皮性恶性肿瘤和癌前病变中广泛失调。尽管其功能意义才刚刚开始揭示，但 claudin-4 似乎在肿瘤细胞侵袭和转移中发挥重要作用，其作为梭状芽胞杆菌肠毒素（CPE）受体的双重作用为分子靶向治疗开辟了令人兴奋的途径。
claudin-4 是一种很有前途的上皮性恶性肿瘤的预后、诊断和治疗的分子标志物。
