Connexin 43, breast cancer tumor suppressor: Missed connections?

• Published in: Cancer letters Vol. 374; no. 1; pp. 117 - 126
• Main Authors: Grek, Christina L, Rhett, J. Matthew, Bruce, Jaclynn S, Ghatnekar, Gautam S, Yeh, Elizabeth S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 28.04.2016; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Animals; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breasts; Cell growth; Connexin 43; Connexin 43 - metabolism; Female; Gap junctions; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - metabolism; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Metastasis; Rodents; Studies; TCDD; Connexin 43; Metastasis; PQ1; Cx; wildtype; GJIC; substituted quinolones; WT; connexin; 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin; epidermal growth factor receptor 2; protein kinase B; αCT1; ErbB2; Gap junctions; α-connexin carboxyl-terminal; mitogen activated protein kinase; Breast cancer; Akt; MAPK; ZO-2; gap junction intercellular communication; ZO-1; Cx43; zona occludens-1; zona occludens-2
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2016.02.008

Highlights • Connexin 43 is a conditional tumor suppressor protein in breast cancer. • Altered Connexin 43 expression and/or localization are potential biomarkers in primary breast cancers. • Loss of function of Connexin 43 in gap junctions is a potential mechanism for breast cancer metastasis. • Restoring Connexin 43 gap junction intercellular communication may treat breast cancer progression and metastasis.