Mind the gaps in tumor immunity: impact of connexin mediated intercellular connections
Author
dc.contributor.author
Gleisner, María Alejandra
Author
dc.contributor.author
Navarrete, Mariela
Author
dc.contributor.author
Hofmann, Francisca
Author
dc.contributor.author
Salazar Onfray, Flavio
Author
dc.contributor.author
Tittarelli, Andrés
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2018-07-09T19:57:10Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2018-07-09T19:57:10Z
Publication date
dc.date.issued
2017
Cita de ítem
dc.identifier.citation
Front. Immunol. 8:1067
es_ES
Identifier
dc.identifier.other
10.3389/fimmu.2017.01067
Identifier
dc.identifier.uri
https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/149674
Abstract
dc.description.abstract
Gap junctions (GJs)-mediated intercellular communications (GJICs) are connexin (Cx)-formed plasma membrane channels that allow for the passage of small molecules between adjacent cells, and are involved in several physiopathological processes, including immune responses against cancer. In general, tumor cells are poorly coupled through GJs, mainly due to low Cx expression or reduced channel activity, suggesting that Cxs may have tumor suppressor roles. However, more recent data indicate that Cxs and/or GJICs may also in some cases promote tumor progression. This dual role of Cx channels in tumor outcome may be due, at least partially, to the fact that GJs not only interconnect cells from the same type, such as cancer cells, but also promote the intercellular communication of tumor cells with different types of cells from their micro-environment, and such diverse intercellular interactions have distinctive impact on tumor development. For example, whereas GJ-mediated interactions among tumor cells and microglia have been implicated in promotion of tumor growth, tumor cells delivery to dendritic cells of antigenic peptides through GJs have been associated with enhanced immune-mediated tumor elimination. In this review, we provide an updated overview on the role of GJICs in tumor immunity, focusing on the pro-tumor and antitumor effect of GJs occurring among tumor and immune cells. Accumulated data suggest that GJICs may act as tumor suppressors or enhancers depending on whether tumor cells interact predominantly with antitumor immune cells or with stromal cells. The complex modulation of immune-tumor cell GJICs should be taken into consideration in order to potentiate current cancer immunotherapies.
es_ES
Patrocinador
dc.description.sponsorship
Millennium Science Initiative of Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism
P09/016-F
Chilean National Fund of Scientific and Technological Development
FONDECYT 1130320
FONDECYT 11160380
FONDECYT 3170917