Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets?
The heart is a complex organ composed of multiple cell types, including cardiomyocytes and different non-myocyte populations, all working closely together to determine the hearts properties and maintain normal cardiac function. Connexins are abundantly expressed proteins that form plasma membrane he...
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doaj-76d129c3fa234c96b4e2e734fc27068b2020-11-25T01:12:48ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1422-00672018-03-0119386610.3390/ijms19030866ijms19030866Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets?Robert D. Johnson0Patrizia Camelliti1School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UKSchool of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UKThe heart is a complex organ composed of multiple cell types, including cardiomyocytes and different non-myocyte populations, all working closely together to determine the hearts properties and maintain normal cardiac function. Connexins are abundantly expressed proteins that form plasma membrane hemichannels and gap junctions between cells. Gap junctions are intracellular channels that allow for communication between cells, and in the heart they play a crucial role in cardiac conduction by coupling adjacent cardiomyocytes. Connexins are expressed in both cardiomyocytes and non-myocytes, including cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages. Non-myocytes are the largest population of cells in the heart, and therefore it is important to consider what roles connexins, hemichannels, and gap junctions play in these cell types. The aim of this review is to provide insight into connexin-based signalling in non-myocytes during health and disease, and highlight how targeting these proteins could lead to the development of novel therapies. We conclude that connexins in non-myocytes contribute to arrhythmias and adverse ventricular remodelling following myocardial infarction, and are associated with the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, therapeutic interventions targeting these connexins represent an exciting new research avenue with great potential.http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/3/866connexinhemichannelgap junctioncardiovascular diseasefibroblastendothelialmacrophagenon-myocytetherapeuticinflammation |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Robert D. Johnson Patrizia Camelliti |
spellingShingle |
Robert D. Johnson Patrizia Camelliti Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? International Journal of Molecular Sciences connexin hemichannel gap junction cardiovascular disease fibroblast endothelial macrophage non-myocyte therapeutic inflammation |
author_facet |
Robert D. Johnson Patrizia Camelliti |
author_sort |
Robert D. Johnson |
title |
Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? |
title_short |
Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? |
title_full |
Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? |
title_fullStr |
Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Role of Non-Myocyte Gap Junctions and Connexin Hemichannels in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: Novel Therapeutic Targets? |
title_sort |
role of non-myocyte gap junctions and connexin hemichannels in cardiovascular health and disease: novel therapeutic targets? |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
issn |
1422-0067 |
publishDate |
2018-03-01 |
description |
The heart is a complex organ composed of multiple cell types, including cardiomyocytes and different non-myocyte populations, all working closely together to determine the hearts properties and maintain normal cardiac function. Connexins are abundantly expressed proteins that form plasma membrane hemichannels and gap junctions between cells. Gap junctions are intracellular channels that allow for communication between cells, and in the heart they play a crucial role in cardiac conduction by coupling adjacent cardiomyocytes. Connexins are expressed in both cardiomyocytes and non-myocytes, including cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages. Non-myocytes are the largest population of cells in the heart, and therefore it is important to consider what roles connexins, hemichannels, and gap junctions play in these cell types. The aim of this review is to provide insight into connexin-based signalling in non-myocytes during health and disease, and highlight how targeting these proteins could lead to the development of novel therapies. We conclude that connexins in non-myocytes contribute to arrhythmias and adverse ventricular remodelling following myocardial infarction, and are associated with the initiation and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, therapeutic interventions targeting these connexins represent an exciting new research avenue with great potential. |
topic |
connexin hemichannel gap junction cardiovascular disease fibroblast endothelial macrophage non-myocyte therapeutic inflammation |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/3/866 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT robertdjohnson roleofnonmyocytegapjunctionsandconnexinhemichannelsincardiovascularhealthanddiseasenoveltherapeutictargets AT patriziacamelliti roleofnonmyocytegapjunctionsandconnexinhemichannelsincardiovascularhealthanddiseasenoveltherapeutictargets |
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