Hanne Verswyvel

Chapter 5 │ Page 188 Peptides, antibodies, and chemotherapeutic agents have shown to be very useful in inhibiting the pro-tumorigenic properties of GJs, restoring the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs and reducing tumor growth. The role of GJs to mediate the transport of RONS between cells, the propagation of cell death, and the activation of the immune system, opens possibilities to modulate the function of GJs to improve the anti-tumorigenic property of GJs. Indeed, GJs have been advantageous for inducing cancer cell death via the transport of RONS to the cell interior and via the propagation of cell death induced by oxidative stress, apoptosis, and radiation. The success of future cancer treatments may be improved by understanding the underlying mechanisms involving Cxs and the function of GJs in cancer cells, which if accurately determined would lead to better therapeutic targets and strategies for each specific treatment cases. Although significant progress has been made towards understanding these topics, challenges remain to be addressed, such as when Cxs and GJs are pro- and anti-tumorigenic, how cancer therapies can modulate these properties, how RONS are transported through GJs to mediate oxidative stress-induced cell death, and how GJs propagate cell death. Thus, additional studies are necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the pro- and anti-tumorigenic properties of GJs. This will contribute to designing better GJs inhibitors and/or activators to improve traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well novel cancer treatments based on oxidative stress, such as PDT and NTP.

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