Nalewajska Magdalena, Marchelek-Myśliwiec Małgorzata, Opara-Bajerowicz Martyna, Dziedziejko Violetta, Pawlik Andrzej
Department of Nephrology, Transplantology and Internal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp 72 Street, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp 72 Street, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 30;21(23):9119. doi: 10.3390/ijms21239119.
Connexins (Cx) are members of a protein family that forms intercellular channels localised in gap junction (GJ) plaques and single transmembrane channels called hemichannels. They participate in intercellular communication or communication between the intracellular and extracellular environments. Connexins affect cell homeostasis, growth and differentiation by enabling the exchange of metabolites or by interfering with various signalling pathways. Alterations in the functionality and the expression of connexins have been linked to the occurrence of many diseases. Connexins have been already linked to cancers, cardiac and brain disorders, chronic lung and kidney conditions and wound healing processes. Connexins have been shown either to suppress cancer tumour growth or to increase tumorigenicity by promoting cancer cell growth, migration and invasiveness. A better understanding of the complexity of cancer biology related to connexins and intercellular communication could result in the design of novel therapeutic strategies. The modulation of connexin expression may be an effective therapeutic approach in some types of cancers. Therefore, one important challenge is the search for mechanisms and new drugs, selectively modulating the expression of various connexin isoforms. We performed a systematic literature search up to February 2020 in the electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE. Our search terms were as follows: connexins, hemichannels, cancer and cancer treatment. This review aims to provide information about the role of connexins and gap junctions in cancer, as well as to discuss possible therapeutic options that are currently being studied.
连接蛋白（Cx）是一个蛋白质家族的成员，该家族形成位于间隙连接（GJ）斑块中的细胞间通道以及称为半通道的单跨膜通道。它们参与细胞间通讯或细胞内与细胞外环境之间的通讯。连接蛋白通过促进代谢物交换或干扰各种信号通路来影响细胞稳态、生长和分化。连接蛋白功能和表达的改变与许多疾病的发生有关。连接蛋白已与癌症、心脏和脑部疾病、慢性肺部和肾脏疾病以及伤口愈合过程相关联。连接蛋白已被证明要么抑制癌症肿瘤生长，要么通过促进癌细胞生长、迁移和侵袭来增加肿瘤发生能力。更好地理解与连接蛋白和细胞间通讯相关的癌症生物学复杂性，可能会带来新型治疗策略的设计。连接蛋白表达的调节可能是某些类型癌症的一种有效治疗方法。因此，一个重要的挑战是寻找能够选择性调节各种连接蛋白亚型表达的机制和新药。我们在电子数据库PubMed和EMBASE中进行了截至2020年2月的系统文献检索。我们的检索词如下：连接蛋白、半通道、癌症和癌症治疗。本综述旨在提供有关连接蛋白和间隙连接在癌症中的作用的信息，并讨论目前正在研究的可能治疗选择。
