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Li Y, Acosta FM, Jiang JX. Gap Junctions or Hemichannel-Dependent and Independent Roles of Connexins in Fibrosis, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transitions, and Wound Healing. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1796. [PMID: 38136665 PMCID: PMC10742173 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis initially appears as a normal response to damage, where activated fibroblasts produce large amounts of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during the wound healing process to assist in the repair of injured tissue. However, the excessive accumulation of the ECM, unresolved by remodeling mechanisms, leads to organ dysfunction. Connexins, a family of transmembrane channel proteins, are widely recognized for their major roles in fibrosis, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and wound healing. Efforts have been made in recent years to identify novel mediators and targets for this regulation. Connexins form gap junctions and hemichannels, mediating communications between neighboring cells and inside and outside of cells, respectively. Recent evidence suggests that connexins, beyond forming channels, possess channel-independent functions in fibrosis, the EMT, and wound healing. One crucial channel-independent function is their role as the primary functional component for cell adhesion. Other channel-independent functions of connexins involve their roles in mitochondria and exosomes. This review summarizes the latest advances in the channel-dependent and independent roles of connexins in fibrosis, the EMT, and wound healing, with a particular focus on eye diseases, emphasizing their potential as novel, promising therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.L.); (F.M.A.)
- Department of Pathology, Basic Medical School, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Francisca M. Acosta
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.L.); (F.M.A.)
| | - Jean X. Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; (Y.L.); (F.M.A.)
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Imaizumi T, Hayashi R, Kudo Y, Li X, Yamaguchi K, Shibata S, Okubo T, Ishii T, Honma Y, Nishida K. Ocular instillation of conditioned medium from mesenchymal stem cells is effective for dry eye syndrome by improving corneal barrier function. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13100. [PMID: 37567940 PMCID: PMC10421917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40136-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a chronic ocular disease that induces epithelial damage to the cornea by decreasing tear production and quality. Adequate treatment options have not been established for severe DES such as Sjogren's syndrome due to complicated pathological conditions. To solve this problem, we focused on the conditioned medium of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAdMSC-CM), which have multiple therapeutic properties. Here, we showed that hAdMSC-CM suppressed Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)-induced cytotoxicity and inflammation in human corneal epithelial cells (hCECs). In addition, hAdMSC-CM increased the expression level and regulated the localisation of barrier function-related components, and improved the BAC-induced barrier dysfunction in hCECs. RNA-seq analysis and pharmacological inhibition experiments revealed that the effects of hAdMSC-CM were associated with the TGFβ and JAK-STAT signalling pathways. Moreover, in DES model rats with exorbital and intraorbital lacrimal gland excision, ocular instillation of hAdMSC-CM suppressed corneal epithelial damage by improving barrier dysfunction of the cornea. Thus, we demonstrated that hAdMSC-CM has multiple therapeutic properties associated with TGFβ and JAK-STAT signalling pathways, and ocular instillation of hAdMSC-CM may serve as an innovative therapeutic agent for DES by improving corneal barrier function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsutomu Imaizumi
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Ryuhei Hayashi
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Yuji Kudo
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Xiaoqin Li
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kaito Yamaguchi
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Shun Shibata
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
- Department of Informative Genetics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Toru Okubo
- Department of Stem Cells and Applied Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Ishii
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Yoichi Honma
- Basic Research Development Division, ROHTO Pharmaceutical, Ikuno-ku, Osaka, 544-8666, Japan
| | - Kohji Nishida
- Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
- Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Osaka, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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