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 the multifaceted role of connexins in HCC pathogenesis, offering valuable insights on recent advances in determining their prognostic and therapeutic potential.
连接蛋白是一类四跨膜蛋白家族，通过形成定位于间隙连接的细胞间通道，在肿瘤进展的不同阶段发挥关键作用，兼具促肿瘤和抑肿瘤双重效应。鉴于连接蛋白可能通过多种非通道依赖机制发挥抑癌作用，其表达缺失可能与肿瘤发生活性相关；同时有假说认为连接蛋白能促进肿瘤细胞的克隆扩增，推动细胞迁移、侵袭与增殖，在某些情况下影响转移进程和化疗耐药性。肝细胞癌（HCC）具有预后不良且对现有治疗策略反应有限的特点，其发生发展与具有预后价值的间隙连接蛋白密切相关。值得注意的是，多种连接蛋白家族成员已成为评估HCC进展程度、侵袭性以及肝细胞肿瘤细胞化疗敏感性与放射敏感性的潜在标志物。本综述系统阐明了连接蛋白在HCC发病机制中的多面性作用，并就其在预后判断和治疗潜力评估方面的最新进展提供了重要见解。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家