Role of Cell-Cell Junctions in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Cell–cell junctions comprise various structures, including adherens junctions, tight junctions, desmosomes, and gap junctions. They link cells to each other in tissues and regulate tissue homeostasis in critical cellular processes. Recent advances in cell–cell junction research have led to critical discoveries. Cell–cell adhesion components are important for the invasion and metastasis of tumour cells, which are not only related to cell–cell adhesion changes, but they are also involved in critical molecular signal pathways. They are of great significance, especially given that relevant molecular mechanisms are being discovered, there are an increasing number of emerging biomarkers, targeted therapies are becoming a future therapeutic concern, and there is an increased number of therapeutic agents undergoing clinical trials. Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the most common histological subtype of oesophageal cancer, is one of the most common cancers to affect epithelial tissue. ESCC progression is accompanied by the abnormal expression or localisation of components at cell–cell junctions. This review will discuss the recent scientific developments related to the molecules at cell–cell junctions and their role in ESCC to offer valuable insights for readers, provide a global view of the relationships between position, construction, and function, and give a reference for future mechanistic studies, diagnoses, and therapeutic developments.

Keywords

• adherens junction
• tight junction
• desmosome
• gap junction
• epithelial–mesenchymal transition
• cancer metastasis