缝隙连接蛋白家族在消化道肿瘤中的研究进展

缝隙连接介导相邻细胞间的信息、能量和物质的交换,它主要由缝隙连接蛋白(connexin)构成.Connexins表达异常与消化道肿瘤的发生、发展关系密切.上调connexin蛋白的表达,恢复细胞间缝隙连接通讯可抑制肿瘤的生长和转移.因此,改善肿瘤细胞间缝隙连接可为肿瘤治疗开拓新思路.键词:消化道肿瘤;缝隙连接蛋白;GJIC

Research progress of connexions in gastrointestinal cancer

Gap junctional intercellular communication(GJIC) has been considered allowing direct transfer of small metabolites between cells to maintain homeostasis in multicellular organisms.The gap junction(GJ) is made up of transmembrane connexin(Cx) protein.Deficient GJIC based on the aberrant localization and down regulation of Cx proteins is involved in carcinogenesis and invasion of gastrointestinal cancer.Up-regulation of connexin proteins may reverses malignant phenotype of cancer cells.Targeting gap junction signaling may offer a potential mechanism for therapy in patients with these tumors.