PMID- 20446866
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20100921
LR  - 20220331
IS  - 1744-7631 (Electronic)
IS  - 1472-8222 (Linking)
VI  - 14
IP  - 7
DP  - 2010 Jul
TI  - Gap junctions and connexins as therapeutic targets in cancer.
PG  - 681-92
LID - 10.1517/14728222.2010.487866 [doi]
AB  - IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Connexins (Cxs) and gap junctional intercellular 
      communications (GJICs) play roles in cancer development, growth and metastasis. 
      Experimental studies suggest that targeting Cxs may be a novel technique, either 
      to inhibit tumor cell growth directly or to sensitize to various therapies. AREAS 
      COVERED IN THIS REVIEW: A brief introduction to the role of Cxs in cancer. The 
      focus is mainly on data available in the literature regarding therapeutic 
      aspects. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN: This article reviews the various strategies 
      that take advantage of gap junctions and connexins to eliminate cancer cells, 
      including use of the bystander effect (BE) in gene therapy, the effect of 
      connexins on chemosensitization, the role of apoptotic processes and interactions 
      with the microenvironment. Attempts to restore connexin expression at the 
      transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels are described, as well as 
      promising strategies recently explored. The potential and limitations of the 
      approaches are discussed. TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Connexins have multiple facets, 
      singly, in hemichannel complexes, in gap junctions or interacting with different 
      proteins. The regulation of their expression is not fully resolved and selective 
      manipulation of Cxs expression is therefore a challenge. Although the therapeutic 
      potential of connexins is undeniable, more effort is needed to study the 
      regulation and functions of these proteins.
FAU - Kandouz, Mustapha
AU  - Kandouz M
AD  - Wayne State University, Department of Pathology, 5101 Cass Avenue, Chemistry 
      Building, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA. ag1764@wayne.edu
FAU - Batist, Gerald
AU  - Batist G
LA  - eng
GR  - Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Review
PL  - England
TA  - Expert Opin Ther Targets
JT  - Expert opinion on therapeutic targets
JID - 101127833
RN  - 0 (Antineoplastic Agents)
RN  - 0 (Biomarkers, Tumor)
RN  - 0 (Connexin 43)
RN  - 0 (Connexins)
RN  - 0 (MicroRNAs)
SB  - IM
MH  - Animals
MH  - Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
MH  - Apoptosis/drug effects/physiology
MH  - Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism
MH  - Bystander Effect/drug effects
MH  - Cell Communication/*drug effects/physiology
MH  - Connexin 43/agonists/antagonists & inhibitors/metabolism
MH  - Connexins/agonists/genetics/*physiology
MH  - Gap Junctions/*drug effects/*physiology
MH  - Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects
MH  - Genetic Therapy
MH  - Humans
MH  - MicroRNAs/physiology
MH  - Neoplasm Metastasis/drug therapy/physiopathology
MH  - Neoplasms/*drug therapy/metabolism/physiopathology/therapy
MH  - Protein Processing, Post-Translational/drug effects
RF  - 97
EDAT- 2010/05/08 06:00
MHDA- 2010/09/23 06:00
CRDT- 2010/05/08 06:00
PHST- 2010/05/08 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2010/05/08 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2010/09/23 06:00 [medline]
AID - 10.1517/14728222.2010.487866 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2010 Jul;14(7):681-92. doi: 
      10.1517/14728222.2010.487866.