Role of connexins in infantile hemangiomas
Open Access
- 1 January 2013
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Pharmacology
- Vol. 4, 41
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2013.00041
Abstract
The circulatory system is one of the first systems that develops during embryogenesis. Angiogenesis describes the formation of blood vessels as a part of the circulatory system and is essential for organ growth in embryogenesis as well as repair in adulthood. A dysregulation of vessel growth contributes to the pathogenesis of many disorders. Thus, an imbalance between pro- and antiangiogenic factors could be observed in infantile hemangioma (IH). Infantile hemangioma is the most common benign tumor during infancy, which appears during the first month of life. These vascular tumors are characterized by rapid proliferation and subsequently slower involution. Most IHs regress spontaneously, but in some cases they cause disfigurement and systemic complications, which requires immediate treatment. Recently, a therapeutic effect of propranolol on IH has been demonstrated. Hence, this nonselective β- blocker became the first-line therapy for IH. Over the last years, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of IH has been improved and possible mechanisms of action of propranolol in IH have postulated. Previous studies revealed that gap junction proteins, the connexins (Cx), might also play a role in the pathogenesis of IH. Therefore, affecting gap junctional intercellular communication is suggested as a novel therapeutic target of propranolol in IH. In this review we summarize the current knowledge of the molecular processes leading to IH and provide new insights of how connexins might be involved in the development of these vascular tumors.Keywords
This publication has 101 references indexed in Scilit:
- Infantile Hemangioma--Mechanism(s) of Drug Action on a Vascular TumorCold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine, 2011
- Chapter 2 Biological and Biophysical Properties of Vascular Connexin ChannelsPublished by Elsevier ,2009
- The signal transduction cascade regulating the expression of the gap junction protein connexin43 by β‐adrenoceptorsBritish Journal of Pharmacology, 2009
- Gap-Junction Channels Dysfunction in Deafness and Hearing LossAntioxidants and Redox Signaling, 2009
- Gap Junctions in the Control of Vascular FunctionAntioxidants and Redox Signaling, 2009
- Connexins in Vascular Physiology and PathologyAntioxidants and Redox Signaling, 2009
- Infantile Hemangiomas: An Emerging Health Issue Linked to an Increased Rate of Low Birth Weight InfantsThe Journal of Pediatrics, 2008
- Incidence of protein on actin bridges between endothelium and smooth muscle in arterioles demonstrates heterogeneous connexin expression and phosphorylationAmerican Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2008
- Angiogenesis in life, disease and medicineNature, 2005
- Tumor Angiogenesis: Therapeutic ImplicationsNew England Journal of Medicine, 1971