title: Gap junctions and cancer: communicating for 50 years.
abstract: Fifty years ago, tumour cells were found to lack electrical coupling, leading to the hypothesis that loss of direct intercellular communication is commonly associated with cancer onset and progression. Subsequent studies linked this phenomenon to gap junctions composed of connexin proteins. Although many studies support the notion that connexins are tumour suppressors, recent evidence suggests that, in some tumour types, they may facilitate specific stages of tumour progression through both junctional and non-junctional signalling pathways. This Timeline article highlights the milestones connecting gap junctions to cancer, and underscores important unanswered questions, controversies and therapeutic opportunities in the field.
authors: Translational Molecular Pathology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research, Barcelona 08035, Spain.
authors: Trond
authors: T
authors: Aasen
authors: STIM Laboratory ERL 7368 CNRS - Faculté des Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers 86073, France.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Mesnil
authors: the Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, The Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada.
authors: Christian C
authors: CC
authors: Naus
authors: Translational Research Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA.
authors: Paul D
authors: PD
authors: Lampe
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C1, Canada.
authors: Dale W
authors: DW
authors: Laird
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024201:Bystander Effect; D002450:Cell Communication; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D009154:Mutation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins