Connexin and Pannexin hemichannels are regulated by redox potential
Date
2014
Type:
Artículo
item.page.extent
9
item.page.accessRights
Authors
item.contributor.advisor
ORCID:
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Frontiers Research Foundation
item.page.isbn
item.page.issn
item.page.issne
item.page.doiurl
item.page.other
item.page.references
Abstract
Connexins (Cxs) and Pannexins (Panxs) are two non-related protein families, having both
the property to form hemichannels at the plasma membrane. There are 21 genes coding
for different Cx based proteins and only 3 for Panx. Under physiological conditions, these
hemichannels (Cxs and Panxs) present a low open probability, but when open, they allow
the release of signaling molecules to the extracellular space. However, under pathological
conditions, these hemichannels increase their open probability, inducing important lysis
of metabolites, and ionic imbalance, which in turn induce the massive entry of Ca+2
to the cell. Actually, it is well recognized that Cxs and Panxs based channels play an
important role in several diseases and -in many cases- this is associated with an aberrant
hemichannel opening. Hemichannel opening and closing are controlled by a plethora of
signaling including changes of the voltage plasma membrane, protein-protein interactions,
and several posttranslational modifications, including protein cleavage, phosphorylation,
glycosylation, hydroxylation and S-nitrosylation, among others. In particular, it has been
recently shown that the cellular redox status modulates the opening/closing and
permeability of at least Cx43, Cx46, and Panx1 hemichannels. Thus, for example, the
gaseous transmitter nitric oxide (NO) can induce the S-nitrosylation of these proteins
modulating in turn several of their properties. The reason is that the redox status of a
cell is fundamental to set their response to the environment and also plays an important
role in several pathologies. In this review, I will discuss how NO and other molecules
associated with redox signaling modulate Cxs and Panx hemichannels properties.
Description
Centro de Fisiología Celular e Integrativa
item.page.coverage.spatial
item.page.sponsorship
Citation
Front Physiol. 2014; 5: 80
Keywords
carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, connexin, S-Nitrosylation, redox signaling