间隙连接蛋白43在糖尿病肾病中的研究进展

Advances of connexin 43 in diabetic nephropathy

糖尿病肾病(diabetic nephropathy,DN)是糖尿病引起的微血管并发症,常导致多种肾脏细胞结构和功能损害,是慢性肾脏病和终末期肾病的重要原因。间隙连接蛋白通过形成半通道及介导间隙连接细胞间通信参与维持多种器官细胞功能和组织稳态。间隙连接蛋白43(connexin 43,Cx43)是肾脏中含量最丰富且研究最广泛的间隙连接蛋白。越来越多的证据表明Cx43参与了DN的发生发展,与肾小球系膜细胞、足细胞及肾小管上皮细胞损伤密切相关,但Cx43在DN中调控肾脏细胞稳态的分子机制尚不清楚。该文从信号通路调控机制的角度,系统综述Cx43与DN发病机制的关系,探究靶向Cx43在DN干预治疗中的潜力。

Diabetic nephropathy(DN)is a microvascular complication caused by diabetes mellitus,which often leads to structural and functional damages of several kidney cell types,and has become an important cause of chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease.Connexins are involved in maintaining cell function and tissue homeostasis in various organs by forming semi-channels and mediating gap-junctional intercellular communication.Connexin 43(Cx43)is the most abundant and widely studied connexin in kidney.Accumulating evidences have shown that Cx43 is involved in the pathological process associated with glomerular mesangial cells,podocytes and renal tubular epithelial cells during the development of DN.However,the molecular mechanism of Cx43 in regulating kidney cell homeostasis of DN is still unclear.The paper systematically reviews the relationship between Cx43 and pathogenesis of DN from the perspective of signaling pathway regulation,and explores the therapeutic potential of targeting Cx43 in the intervention of DN.