title: Claudin-4 as therapeutic target in cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intercellular junctional complexes such as adherens junctions and tight junctions are critical regulators of cellular polarity, paracellular permeability and metabolic and structural integrity of cellular networks. Abundant expression analysis data have yielded insights into the complex pattern of differentially expressed cell-adhesion proteins in epithelial cancers and provide a useful platform for functional, preclinical and clinical evaluation of novel targets.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review will focus on the role of claudin-4, an integral constituent of tight junctions, in the pathophysiology of epithelial malignancies with particular focus pancreatic cancer, and its potential applicability for prognostic, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Claudin-4 expression is widely dysregulated in epithelial malignancies and in a number of premalignant precursor lesions. Although the functional implications are only starting to unravel, claudin-4 seems to play an important role in tumour cell invasion and metastasis, and its dual role as receptor of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) opens exciting avenues for molecular targeted approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Claudin-4 constitutes a promising molecular marker for prognosis, diagnosis and therapy of epithelial malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Baldinger Str., 35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neesse
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Griesmann
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gress
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D062506:Claudin-4; D057167:Claudins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055808:Drug Discovery; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C568157:CLDN4 protein, human; D062506:Claudin-4; D057167:Claudins