Graham, S. V. , Jiang, J. X. and Mesnil, M. (2018) Connexins and pannexins: important players in tumorigenesis, metastasis and potential therapeutics. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 19(6), 1645. (doi: 10.3390/ijms19061645) (PMID:29865195)
|
Text
160420.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. 1MB |
Abstract
Since their characterization more than five decades ago, gap junctions and their structural proteins—the connexins—have been associated with cancer cell growth. During that period, the accumulation of data and molecular knowledge about this association revealed an apparent contradictory relationship between them and cancer. It appeared that if gap junctions or connexins can down regulate cancer cell growth they can be also implied in the migration, invasion and metastatic dissemination of cancer cells. Interestingly, in all these situations, connexins seem to be involved through various mechanisms in which they can act either as gap-junctional intercellular communication mediators, modulators of signalling pathways through their interactome, or as hemichannels, which mediate autocrine/paracrine communication. This complex involvement of connexins in cancer progression is even more complicated by the fact that their hemichannel function may overlap with other gap junction-related proteins, the pannexins. Despite this complexity, the possible involvements of connexins and pannexins in cancer progression and the elucidation of the mechanisms they control may lead to use them as new targets to control cancer progression. In this review, the involvements of connexins and pannexins in these different topics (cancer cell growth, invasion/metastasis process, possible cancer therapeutic targets) are discussed.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Additional Information: | J.X.J. was supported by US National Institutes of Health grant CA196214, US Department of Defence (DoD) grant BC161273 andWelch Foundation grant AQ-1507; M.M. was supported by Ligue contre le Cancer (Comités de la Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres, Morbihan et Vienne); S.V.G. was supported by Worldwide Cancer Research grant 08-0159 and acknowledges funding from the Medical Research Council as core funding for the MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Graham, Professor Sheila |
| Authors: | Graham, S. V., Jiang, J. X., and Mesnil, M. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research |
| Journal Name: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| Publisher: | MDPI |
| ISSN: | 1661-6596 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1422-0067 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2018 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences 19(6):1645 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record
Funder and Project Information
Funder and Project Information