Claudins and hepatocellular carcinoma

• Published in: Biomedicine & pharmacotherapy Vol. 171; p. 116109
• Main Authors: Wang, Wentao, Zhou, Yi, Li, Wei, Quan, Chengshi, Li, Yanru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France Elsevier 01-02-2024
• Subjects: Claudins; CLDN1; Hepatocellular Carcinoma; CLDN1; Claudins; Hepatocellular Carcinoma
• ISSN: 0753-3322; 1950-6007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116109

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a high incidence and dismal prognosis, making it a significant global health burden. To change this, the development of new therapeutic strategies is imminent. The claudin (CLDN) family, as key components of tight junctions (TJs), plays an important role in the initiation and development of cancer. Dysregulated expression of CLDNs leads to loss of intercellular adhesion and aberrant cell signaling, which are closely related to cancer cell invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). CLDN1, CLDN3, CLDN4, CLDN5, CLDN6, CLDN7, CLDN9, CLDN10, CLDN11, CLDN14, and CLDN17 are aberrantly expressed in HCC, which drives the progression of the disease. Consequently, they have tremendous potential as prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets. This article summarizes the aberrant expression, molecular mechanisms, and clinical application studies of different subtypes of CLDNs in HCC, with a particular emphasis on CLDN1.