Pannexins are a family of glycoproteins that comprises three members, PANX1, PANX2, and PANX3. The widely expressed and interrogated PANX1 forms heptameric membrane channels that primarily serve to connect the cytoplasm to the extracellular milieu by being selectively permeable to small signaling molecules when activated. Apart from notable exceptions, PANX1 in many tumor cells appears to facilitate tumor growth and metastasis, suggesting that pannexin-blocking therapeutics may have utility in cancer. Attenuation of PANX1 function must also consider the fact that PANX1 is found in stromal cells of the tumor microenvironment (TME), including immune cells. This review highlights the key discoveries of the past 5 years that suggest pannexins facilitate, or in some cases inhibit, tumor cell growth and metastasis via direct protein interactions and through the regulated efflux of signaling molecules.

Pannexins 是一个糖蛋白家族，包括三个成员，PANX1、PANX2 和 PANX3。广泛表达和询问的 PANX1 形成七聚体膜通道，主要用于通过在激活时选择性渗透小信号分子来将细胞质连接到细胞外环境。除了明显的例外，许多肿瘤细胞中的PANX1似乎促进了肿瘤的生长和转移，这表明pannexin阻断疗法可能对癌症有用。衰减PANX1功能还必须考虑到PANX1存在于肿瘤微环境（TME）的基质细胞中，包括免疫细胞。这篇综述强调了过去 5 年的关键发现，这些发现表明 pannexins 促进，或在某些情况下抑制，