Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1533: Understanding the Role of Connexins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Molecular and Prognostic Implications

Cancers, Vol. 16, Pages 1533: Understanding the Role of Connexins in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Molecular and Prognostic Implications Cancers doi: 10.3390/cancers16081533 Authors: Stavros P. Papadakos Elena Chatzikalil Konstantinos Arvanitakis Georgios Vakadaris Ioanna E. Stergiou Maria-Loukia Koutsompina Alexandra Argyrou Vasileios Lekakis Ippokratis Konstantinidis Georgios Germanidis Stamatios Theocharis Connexins, a family of tetraspan membrane proteins forming intercellular channels localized in gap junctions, play a pivotal role at the different stages of tumor progression presenting both pro- and anti-tumorigenic effects. Considering the potential role of connexins as tumor suppressors through multiple channel-independent mechanisms, their loss of expression may be associated with tumorigenic activity, while it is hypothesized that connexins favor the clonal expansion of tumor cells and promote cell migration, invasion, and proliferation, affecting metastasis and chemoresistance in some cases. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by unfavorable prognosis and limited responsiveness to current therapeutic strategies, has been linked to gap junction proteins as tumorigenic factors with prognostic value. Notably, several members of connexins have emerged as promising markers for assessing the progression and aggressiveness of HCC, as well as the chemosensitivity and radiosensitivity of hepatocellular tumor cells. Our review sheds light on...
Source: Cancers - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research