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The Use of Connexin-Based Therapeutic Approaches to Target Inflammatory Diseases

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Wound Regeneration and Repair

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1037))

Abstract

Alterations in Connexin43 (Cx43) expression levels have been shown to play a role in inflammatory processes including skin wounding and neuroinflammation. Cx43 protein levels increase following a skin wound and can inhibit wound healing. Increased Cx43 has been observed following stroke, epilepsy, ischemia, optic nerve damage, and spinal cord injury with gap junctional communication and hemichannel opening leading to increased secondary damage via the inflammatory response. Connexin43 modulation has been identified as a potential target for protection and repair in neuroinflammation and skin wound repair. This review describes the use of a Cx43 specific antisense oligonucleotide (Cx43 AsODN) and peptide mimetics of the connexin extracellular loop domain to modulate Cx43 expression and/or function in inflammatory disorders of the skin and central nervous system. An overview of the role of connexin43 in inflammatory conditions, how antisense and peptide have allowed us to elucidate the role of Cx43 in these diseases, create models of diseases to test interventions and their potential for use clinically or in current clinical trials is presented. Antisense oligonucleotides are applied topically and have been used to improve wound healing following skin injury. They have also been used to develop ex vivo models of neuroinflammatory diseases that will allow testing of intervention strategies. The connexin mimetic peptides have shown potential in a number of neuroinflammatory disorders in ex vivo models as well as in vivo when delivered directly to the injury site or when delivered systemically.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy with Radiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Simon J. O’Carroll & Louise F. B. Nicholson

  2. Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK

    David L. Becker

  3. Department of Physiology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Joanne O. Davidson & Alistair J. Gunn

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Colin R. Green

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  1. Simon J. O’Carroll
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  2. David L. Becker
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  3. Joanne O. Davidson
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  4. Alistair J. Gunn
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  5. Louise F. B. Nicholson
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  6. Colin R. Green
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institut, Roanoke, Virginia, USA

    Robert G. Gourdie

  2. School of Pharmacy, MCPHS University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Tereance A. Myers

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O’Carroll, S.J., Becker, D.L., Davidson, J.O., Gunn, A.J., Nicholson, L.F.B., Green, C.R. (2013). The Use of Connexin-Based Therapeutic Approaches to Target Inflammatory Diseases. In: Gourdie, R., Myers, T. (eds) Wound Regeneration and Repair. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1037. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-505-7_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-505-7_31

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-504-0

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