Editorial
Copyright ©2010 Baishideng. All rights reserved
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 21, 2010; 16(3): 289-295
Published online Jan 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i3.289
Hepatic tight junctions: From viral entry to cancer metastasis
Nikki P Lee, John M Luk
Nikki P Lee, Department of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China
John M Luk, Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore
Author contributions: Lee NP collected data, prepared the figures and wrote the paper; Luk JM initiated the review, wrote, commented on and revised the paper.
Supported by A GRF Grant from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong to Luk JM, No. 771607M
Correspondence to: John M Luk, Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Department of Surgery, National University Health System, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117597, Singapore. jmluk@nus.edu.sg
Telephone: +65-65164516 Fax: +65-68737690
Received: October 23, 2009
Revised: November 30, 2009
Accepted: December 7, 2009
Published online: January 21, 2010
Abstract

The tight junction (TJ) is a critical cellular component for maintenance of tissue integrity, cellular interactions and cell-cell communications, and physiologically functions as the “great wall” against external agents and the surrounding hostile environment. During the host-pathogen evolution, viruses somehow found the key to unlock the gate for their entry into cells and to exploit and exhaust the host cells. In the liver, an array of TJ molecules is localized along the bile canaliculi forming the blood-biliary barrier, where they play pivotal roles in paracellular permeability, bile secretion, and cell polarity. In pathology, certain hepatic TJ molecules mediate virus entry causing hepatitis infection; deregulation and functional abnormality of the TJ have also been implicated in triggering liver cancer development and metastasis. All these findings shed new insights on the understanding of hepatic TJs in the development of liver disease and provide new clues for potential intervention.

Keywords: Tight junctions; Hepatocytes; Blood-biliary barrier; Bile canaliculi; Hepatitis; Liver steatosis; Liver neoplasms