缝隙连接蛋白43 (Cx43)与神经炎症的研究进展

 缝隙连接蛋白43(connexin43, Cx43)是中枢神经系统(central nervous system, CNS)中含量最丰富的连接蛋白,主要分布于星形胶质细胞,以缝隙连接(gap junction, GJ)和半通道(hemichannel, HC)的形式存在,分别介导细胞间和细胞与外环境间的信息交流。随着人口的老龄化,阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease, AD)、脑卒中及术后认知功能障碍等疾病的发生率越来越高,神经炎症是这些CNS疾病的一个共同特征,涉及到白细胞聚集、胶质细胞激活、炎性因子释放等,该过程需要高效的信息交流,研究表明Cx43在该过程中发挥着不可忽视的作用,主要表现为GJ抑制和HC活性增加并影响神经功能。本文重点综述Cx43与神经炎症的关系,为多种CNS疾病的治疗提供新的靶点。

Advances of relations between connexin43 (Cx43) and neuroinflammation

Connexin43 (Cx43) is the most abundant connexin and mainly distributes in astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). Cx43 comes form gap junctions (GJs) allowing direct cell-to-cell exchange, it can also come form hemichannels (HCs) to provide a direct link between the intracellular components and the extracellular environment. With aging of the population in worldwide, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, stroke and postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases rapidly. Neuroinflammation, a common process associated with those CNS diseases, is characterized by leukocyte recruitment, reactive gliosis, release of inflammatory factors and needs efficient communication. Recent studies reveal that Cx43 plays a key role in neuroinflammation, and its process characterized by the inhibition of Cx43GJs and the activation of HCs, which affects neurologic functions. The purpose of this review is to discuss the relations between Cx43 and neuroinflammation, and provide a novel target for the treatment of CNS diseases.