连接蛋白43:致盲性眼病治疗新靶点

Connexin 43: A new therapeutic target against blinding eye diseases

摘要:

目前常见的主要致盲性眼病如角膜炎、白内障、青光眼、糖尿病视网膜病变等严重威胁人类健康并影响患者的生存质量。连接蛋白43(Cx43)作为脊椎动物体内最常见的缝隙连接蛋白，广泛分布于眼组织中，参与胚胎发育、代谢调节、组织稳态等生理过程及炎症、氧化应激、上皮-间充质样细胞转换、血管渗漏与新生血管形成等病理过程。Cx43在各种致盲性眼病的发生发展中发挥重要作用，本文将就其在上述主要致盲性眼病发病机制中的作用和靶向Cx43治疗进展作一综述。

Abstract:

The major blinding eye diseases, such as keratitis, cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, seriously threaten human health and affect the quality of patients' life. Connexin 43(Cx43), as the most common connexin in vertebrates, is widely distributed in eye tissues and is involved in physiological processes such as embryonic development, metabolic regulation, tissue homeostasis, as well as pathological processes such as inflammation, oxidative stress, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, vascular leakage, and angiogenesis. Cx43 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of various blinding eye diseases. This article will review its role in the pathogenesis of the above-mentioned blinding eye diseases and the advances in targeting Cx43 therapy.