Abstract
Gap junctional intercellular communication is a mechanism for direct cell-to-cell signaling and is mediated by gap junctions, which consist of transmembrane proteins called connexins. Many physiological roles have been proposed for gap junctions such as maintenance of tissue homeostasis, regulation of tissue development, electrical and metabolic coupling as well as regulation of cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Signaling is especially altered via gap junctions in cancer. Furthermore, these membrane channels are believed to be engaged in metastasis. Involvement of aberrant gap junctional intercellular communication in carcinogenesis and tumor suppressing role of connexin genes has been well documented. However, clear explanation is required for the role of connexins that are localized in intracellular compartment of cancerous cells and participate in apoptosis and metastasis as well. The present review is confined to role of connexins in a cell signaling during carcinogenesis, regulation of apoptosis and involvement in metastasis. Potential role of gap junctions and connexins in therapy of cancers was analyzed, too.
Keywords: Connexin, gap junction, carcinogenesis, cancer
Current Signal Transduction Therapy
Title: The Role of Connexins in Carcinogenesis: Review of Current Knowledge
Volume: 2 Issue: 1
Author(s): Kanczuga-koda Luiza, Sulkowski Stanislaw, Koda Mariusz, Wincewicz Andrzej, Rutkowski Tadeusz and Moniuszko Mariola
Affiliation:
Keywords: Connexin, gap junction, carcinogenesis, cancer
Abstract: Gap junctional intercellular communication is a mechanism for direct cell-to-cell signaling and is mediated by gap junctions, which consist of transmembrane proteins called connexins. Many physiological roles have been proposed for gap junctions such as maintenance of tissue homeostasis, regulation of tissue development, electrical and metabolic coupling as well as regulation of cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Signaling is especially altered via gap junctions in cancer. Furthermore, these membrane channels are believed to be engaged in metastasis. Involvement of aberrant gap junctional intercellular communication in carcinogenesis and tumor suppressing role of connexin genes has been well documented. However, clear explanation is required for the role of connexins that are localized in intracellular compartment of cancerous cells and participate in apoptosis and metastasis as well. The present review is confined to role of connexins in a cell signaling during carcinogenesis, regulation of apoptosis and involvement in metastasis. Potential role of gap junctions and connexins in therapy of cancers was analyzed, too.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Luiza Kanczuga-koda, Stanislaw Sulkowski, Mariusz Koda, Andrzej Wincewicz, Tadeusz Rutkowski and Mariola Moniuszko, The Role of Connexins in Carcinogenesis: Review of Current Knowledge, Current Signal Transduction Therapy 2007; 2 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157436207779317074
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157436207779317074 |
Print ISSN 1574-3624 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-389X |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Development of Heparanase Inhibitors for Anti-Cancer Therapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry Current Innovations in Laparoscopy
Current Women`s Health Reviews Cardiovascular Effects of Hypoglycemic Agents in Diabetes Mellitus
Current Drug Safety Antisense Targets to Enhance Hormone and Cytotoxic Therapies in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Current Drug Targets Development of Anticancer Agents from Plant-Derived Sesquiterpene Lactones
Current Medicinal Chemistry Disposition of Flavonoids Impacts their Efficacy and Safety
Current Drug Metabolism Radiobromine-Labelled Tracers for Positron Emission Tomography: Possibilities and Pitfalls
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Multidetector Computed Tomography of Iatrogenic Urinary Trauma - Pictorial Review
Current Medical Imaging Antigene and Antiproliferative Effects of Triplex-Forming Oligonucleotide (TFO) Targeted on hmgb1 Gene in Human Hepatoma Cells
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Potential Utilization of Bystander / Abscopal-Mediated Signal Transduction Events in the Treatment of Solid Tumors
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Antibody Fragment and Targeted Colorectal Cancer Therapy: A Global Systematic Review
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology The Use of Mathematical Modelling for Improving the Tissue Engineering of Organs and Stem Cell Therapy
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Impact of Nutrients on the Functioning of Intestinal Goblet Cells: Health and Therapeutic Perspectives
Current Nutrition & Food Science Contemporary Review of Drugs Used to Treat Obesity
Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Metabolomic Strategy in Tuberculosis Therapy
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Recent Patents and Patent Applications Relating to mTOR Pathway
Recent Patents on DNA & Gene Sequences Imaging Adoptive Cell Transfer Based Cancer Immunotherapy
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Platinum Formulations as Anticancer Drugs Clinical and Pre-Clinical Studies
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry PLK1 Inhibition: Prospective Role for the Treatment of Pediatric Tumors
Current Drug Targets Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of C-2 Substituted 3Hthieno[ 2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-one Derivatives as Novel FGFR1 Inhibitors
Medicinal Chemistry