title: Connexin a check-point component of cell apoptosis in normal and physiopathological conditions.
abstract: Gap junction protein connexins (Cxs) play essential roles in cell homeostasis, growth, differentiation and death. Therefore, Cx dysfunction has been associated with many diseases and with tumor development. Cxs control cell apoptosis through different molecular mechanisms. First, gap junction channels classically facilitate the influx and flux of apoptotic signals between adjacent cells and hemichannels between the intracellular and extracellular environments. Second, recent studies demonstrate that Cx proteins, independently from their functional role through channels or hemichannels and in conjunction with their intracytoplasmic localization, may act as signaling effectors able to activate the canonical mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In the present review, we dissected both functions of Cx in apoptosis, providing new avenues for apoptosis-mediated cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: UMR S775, University Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carette
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, F-06204 Nice Cedex 3, France; University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, 151 route Saint Antoine de Ginestière BP 2 3194, 06204 Nice Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: Jérome
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilleron
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Pasteur Hospital, Nice, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chevallier
authors.affiliation: UMR S775, University Paris Descartes, 45 rue des Saints Pères, 75006 Paris, France; University Versailles Saint Quentin, Versailles, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Segretain
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 1065, Centre Méditerranéen de Médecine Moléculaire, F-06204 Nice Cedex 3, France; University of Nice Sophia Antipolis, 151 route Saint Antoine de Ginestière BP 2 3194, 06204 Nice Cedex 3, France. Electronic address: pointis@unice.fr.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pointis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D017630:Connexins / Q000502:physiology*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017630:Connexins
keywords: Apoptosis; Cancer therapy; Connexin; Gap junction; Hemichannel; Tumor