Expert
Reviews in Molecular Medicine: http://www.expertreviews.org/
DOI: 10.1017/S1462399406000056; 4 August 2006
Scott
L. Kominsky (2006) Claudins: emerging targets for cancer therapy. Expert Rev.
Mol. Med. Vol. 8, Issue 18, DOI: 10.1017/S1462399406000056
Claudins: emerging
targets for cancer therapy
Scott L. Kominsky a1
a1 Department
of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland
Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Tel: +1 410 502 6400; Fax: +1 410 502 6414; E-mail:
kominsc@jhmi.edu
The
claudin (CLDN) family of transmembrane proteins plays a critical role in the
maintenance of epithelial and endothelial tight junctions. In addition to their
function in preserving the structure of tight junctions, CLDNs might also play
a role in the maintenance of the cytoskeleton and in cell signalling. Interestingly,
several studies have recently reported specific CLDN family members to be overexpressed
in a wide variety of cancer types. Although their functional role in cancer
progression remains unclear, the differential expression of these proteins between
tumour and normal cells, in addition to their membrane localisation, makes them
prime candidates for cancer therapy. Preclinical studies have shown that tumour
cells overexpressing CLDNs can be successfully targeted via several approaches,
including the use of anti-CLDN antibodies as well as the cytolytic enterotoxin
from Clostridium perfringens. Further studies are needed to determine
the potential systemic toxicity of this approach considering the ubiquitous
expression of CLDNs in the body, but CLDN-targeted therapeutics appear to have
promise in the treatment of cancer.
Full
text online (purchase or subscribe through
Cambridge Journals Online)
| home
| search | glossary
| links | sitemap
| contact |
Expert Reviews in Molecular Medicine © Cambridge
University Press ISSN 1462-3994 (Disclaimer and copyright)
Editorial Office: Centre for Applied Research
in Educational Technologies (CARET), 1st Floor, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge,
CB2 1SB, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 765 375; Fax: +44(0)1223 765 505; E-mail: ermm@caret.cam.ac.uk
