Perturbation in connexin 43 and connexin 26 gap-junction expression in mouse skin hyperplasia and neoplasia

To examine the possible role of gap junctions in mouse skin tumor progression, we generated a panel of mouse skin tissue samples exhibiting normal, hyperplastic, or neoplastic changes and characterized the expression of the gap-junction genes connexin 43 (Cx43) and connexin 26 (Cx26) by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses. In normal skin, these two gap junction genes were differentially expressed; Cx43 was found predominantly in the less differentiated lower spinous layers, whereas Cx26 was found in terminally differentiating upper spinous and granular layers. In hyperplastic epidermis exhibiting an expansion of the differentiated upper layer, i.e., epidermis with a thickened granular layer or in which the granular layer was replaced with keratinocytes exhibiting tricholemmal differentiation, expression of Cx43 and Cx26 remained segregated in the lower and upper spinous layers, respectively. However, in papillomas, Cx26 was localized in the lower but not upper spinous layer, an expression pattern identical to that of Cx43. In addition, the overall expression levels of both Cx43 and Cx26 appeared to be greatly elevated in the papillomas. It is interesting that such marked alteration in the pattern of Cx26 expression occurred within the context of hyperplastic changes histologically identical to those seen in the nonpapillomous hyperplasias. Interestingly, in neoplastic skin lesions containing a squamous cell carcinoma, Cx43 and Cx26 expression was extinguished. Moreover, expression of Cx43 was also significantly reduced in adjacent apparently nonneoplastic tissues. Overall, these observations show that perturbations in gap-junction gene expression are associated with skin hyperplasia and neoplasia. Such findings suggest a possible role for gap junctions in the malignant conversion of mouse epidermal cells. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Aberrant expression and localization of connexin43 and connexin30 in a rat glioma cell line

Gap junctions are cellular structures which permit direct exchanges of small molecules from cytoplasm to cytoplasm in most of the cells of metazoan organisms. For four decades, it has been observed that the inhibition of this type of intercellular communication is often associated with tumorigenesis. The assumption that loss of homeostasis which characterizes tumor growth could be a consequence of a lack of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) has been reinforced by strategies able to reinduce both GJIC and normalization of the phenotype. So far, no molecular data may explain clearly how gap junctions can regulate cell proliferation. It has been argued that the gap-junction tumor suppressive effect may depend specifically on the connexin type which is expressed. For instance, the transfection of connexin30 (Cx30), a gap junction protein, has been previously associated with a slower growth of rat glioma cells (9L cells). Here, we show that these cells do communicate less compared to the Cx43-expressing parental cells even if the Cx30-transfected cells do express more Cx43. This result was related to the cytoplasmic distribution of Cx43 and a nuclear localization of both the Cx30 and a 20-kDa fragment corresponding to a Cx43 signal. According to these data, it seems that cell growth regulation may depend more on the behavior of connexins than the simple establishment of GJIC.     

茶多酚对人膀胱癌BIU-87细胞间隙连接蛋白43表达和细胞间隙连接通讯功能的影响(英文)

Objective:The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG,the major phytochemistry component in green tea)on the expression of connexin43(Cx43)gene and detect the intercellular communication of the human bladder cancer cell lines BIU-87,and explore its possible mechanisms of prevention and cure for the bladder tumor.Methods:The methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium and Annexin-V/PI double-labeled flow cytometry methods were used to observe the growth inhibitory rate(IR)and a...     

Reduced gap junctional intercellular communication and altered biological effects in mouse osteoblast and rat liver oval cell lines transfected with dominant-negative connexin 43

Gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) maintains normal growth and differentiation of cells in a tissue. The intercellular molecules traversing gap junctions are largely unknown, but the molecular weight (MW) cutoff is normally 1200 Da. No differences in dye transfer were observed in normal or vector controls of WB-F344 rat liver epithelial or mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells with either Lucifer Yellow (LY) with a MW of 457 Da (LY-457) or LY with a MW of 649 Da (LY-649). Transfection of a dominant negative-connexin 43 (Cx43) gene decreased GJIC (>50%) when LY-649 was used, however, normal GJIC was observed in both cell lines when LY-457 was used. Therefore, the MW cut off in these clones was considerably less than the wild type. The dominant negative clones of the MC3T3-E1 cells exhibited over 90% less alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) activity and calcium deposition after the induction of differentiation. Similarly, dominant negative Cx43 inhibited gene expression of ALPase and bone sialoprotein but not osteocalcin in MC3T3-E1. WB-F344 cells normally exhibit a biphasic response to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) where inhibition of GJIC recovers after 2 h, but the dominant negative clones showed no recovery from inhibition of GJIC by TPA. Dominant negative Cx43 also inhibited the formation of network-like structures by WB-F344 cells on Matrigel. These results demonstrate that the dominant negative gene transfected into cell types containing the wild-type connexins result in diminished channel sizes, thus allowing the determination of whether distinct biological endpoints, i.e., differentiation, are dependent upon either small or high MW intercellular signals.     

Restoration of gap-junctional intercellular communication in a communication-deficient rat liver cell mutant by transfection with connexin 43 cDNA

To study the biochemical basis of gap-junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and its role in tumorigenesis, a mammalian cell expression vector carrying both a rat connexin 43 (Cx43) cDNA and an amplifiable dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene was transfected into the GJIC-deficient rat liver mutant cell line aB1. Two stable transfectants were selected for further amplification of the transfected Cx43 gene by increasing stepwise the concentration of methotrexate (MTX) in the culture medium. The results indicate that GJIC was restored in these two Cx43 cDNA transfectants after they became highly resistant to MTX but not in the control-vector transfectants, in which the DHFR gene was similarly amplified. The amount of Cx43 DNA revealed by Southern blot analysis and the expression of Cx43 gene revealed by northern and western blot analyses were concomitantly increased in the Cx43 cDNA transfectants resistant to high concentrations of MTX. Western blot analysis, using an antipeptide antibody that specifically recognizes Cx43 protein, further revealed that an approximately 46-kDa phosphorylated Cx43 protein that was prominent in the parental GJIC-competent cells was absent in the aB1 cells. This Cx43 protein, however, reappeared in the two Cx43 cDNA transfectants after amplification. After treatment of the membrane proteins with alkaline phosphatase in vitro, the approximately 46- and 44-kDa proteins disappeared, whereas the approximately 42-kDa proteins remained with increasing intensity, indicating that the higher molecular-weight proteins were the phosphorylated Cx43. These results indicate that a defect in posttranslational phosphorylation of Cx43 protein associated with low expression of the Cx43 gene might be responsible for the GJIC deficiency in aB1 cells and that increased expression of Cx43 by gene amplification might restore this phosphorylated Cx43 protein and so reestablish GJIC. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Molecular mechanisms of TPA-mediated inhibition of gap-junctional intercellular communication: evidence for action on the assembly or function but not the expression of connexin 43 in rat liver epithelial cells.

We found that a rat liver epithelial cell line (IAR 20) expresses connexin 43, the major cardiac gap-junction protein, but not connexin 26 or connexin 32, major liver gap-junction proteins. The effects of TPA on connexin 43 expression in IAR 20 were investigated using northern blot analysis, western blot analysis, and an immunofluorescence technique. Gap-junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in this cell line decreased within 60 min of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) treatment and recovered after 24 h. The number of immunofluorescence spots of connexin 43 on IAR 20 was closely related to the change in GJIC induced by TPA. However, TPA did not change the level of mRNA measured by northern blot analysis. Moreover, connexin 43 protein expression analyzed by western blotting suggests that connexin 43 proteins were still present in TPA-treated cells at a similar level. These results suggest that GJIC of these rat liver epithelial cells was mediated by connexin 43 protein and that TPA inhibited GJIC by inhibiting posttranslational processing of connexin 43 proteins, e.g., localization or assembly.     

Inducible expression of the gap junction protein connexin43 decreases the neoplastic potential of HT-1080 human fibrosarcoma cells in vitro and in vivo

Numerous studies have demonstrated a correlation between dysregulation/loss of connexin expression or gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) function and decreased growth control both in human tumors and tumor cell lines. Likewise, restoration of constitutive connexin expression/function is correlated with increased growth control/decreased tumorigenicity. Here, we show for the first time that inducible restoration of connexin43 (Cx43) expression and GJIC function in a human tumor line of mesenchymal origin (HT-1080, fibrosarcoma) resulted in a lowered neoplastic potential. Specifically, HT-1080 cells induced to express Cx43 demonstrated diminished foci formation when in co-culture with normal fibroblasts, decreased colony formation under anchorage-independent conditions, and reduced tumor growth when injected into immunodeficient mice. These results, obtained utilizing an inducible system that helps address issues of clonal heterogeneity, strongly implicate Cx43 as a tumor suppressor in human tissue of mesenchymal origin and GJIC as a regulatory mechanism for cellular growth control both in vitro and in vivo. This study also further supports the hypothesis that loss of Cx43/GJIC in human tumors may play an important role in the dysregulation of normal growth control.     

间隙连接蛋白connexin43在膀胱移行细胞癌组织中的表达及其与bcl-2、bax表达的相关性

目的：研究细胞间隙连接蛋白eonnexin43基因（Cx43）在膀胱移行细胞癌（transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder．BTCC）组织中的表达，及其与凋亡相关基因bel-2、box表达的相关性。方法：分别采用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）和免疫组织化学法检测60例BTCC中Cx43 mRNA和bcl-2、bax蛋白的表达，并与癌旁组织、正常膀胱组织各15例进行对照。结果：60例BTCC组织中Cx43 mRNA的表达率为43．33％，显著低于癌旁组织和正常膀胱组织的表达率73．33％及100％（x^2=17．58，P〈0．01）。Cx43的表达与肿瘤的病理分级和淋巴转移均呈显著负相关（x^2=9．33和9．74，P均〈0．01），而与患者性别、年龄、临床分期、肿瘤直径和肿瘤生长方式等均无相关性（P均〉0．05）。相关性检验表明Cx43与bcl-2蛋白表达呈显著负相关（r=-0．63，P〈0．01），而与bax蛋白表达则呈正相关（r=0．52，P〈0．01）。结论：Cx43在BTCC组织中的表达下调提示其与膀胱癌的发生发展和侵袭转移密切相关，可作为判断其预后的重要参考指标。Cx43基因可能与凋亡相关基因bcl-2、bax在膀胱移行细胞癌的发生发展中分别起拈抗和协同作用。     

Cannabinoids inhibit gap junctional intercellular communication and activate ERK in a rat liver epithelial cell line

Many tumor promoters suppress the immune system; however, the direct effect of immunosuppressants on the tumorigenic pathways of nonimmune cells in solid tissue has not been well documented. Cannabinoids were chosen to explore this question further. Cannabinoids are immune modulators that affect specific intracellular signaling pathways in leukocytes. Since these compounds are nongenotoxic, any tumorigenic effect that might be associated with these compounds would need to occur through an epigenetic mechanism. Therefore, we determined the effect of Delta(9)-THC and CBN, 2 plant-derived cannabinoids, on 2 key epigenetic markers of tumor promotion: inhibition of GJIC, which is essential in removing a cell from growth suppression, and activation of the ERK-MAPK pathway, which is crucial in activating the appropriate genes for mitogenesis. Both Delta(9)-THC and CBN reversibly inhibited GJIC at noncytotoxic doses (15 microM) in a normal diploid WB rat liver epithelial oval cell line within 20 min and activated ERK1 and ERK2 within 5 min. Inhibition of MEK with PD98059 prevented the inhibition of GJIC by either cannabinoid, suggesting that inhibition of GJIC was MEK-dependent. Based on RT-PCR analysis and employment of an antagonist of CB1 and CB2, the effects on GJIC and MAPK were independent of both cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoids affected crucial epigenetic pathways associated with cell proliferation in a rodent liver epithelial cell model system.     

转染连接蛋白基因对人脑胶质瘤细胞间隙连接通讯及其生长变化的研究

目的 研究连接蛋白（Cx)基因对人脑胶质瘤细胞的细胞间隙连接通讯（GJIC）及其增殖的抑制作用,探索以Cx43基因治疗胶质瘤的可行性。方法 将含Cx43cDNA的质粒,以脂质体介导转染Cx43表达缺失的TJ905人胶质母细胞瘤细胞,通过Northern印染杂交、原位杂交及免疫组化染色检测Cx43mRNA及蛋白表达,划痕标记荧光染料示踪技术（SLDT）检测GJIC,MTT法测定细胞增殖率,核仁组成区嗜银蛋白（AgNOR)染色检测细胞增殖活性,TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡。结果 转染后TJ905细胞有不同程度的Cx43mRNA和蛋白表达及GJIC恢复。Cx43表达水平高的克隆细胞增殖明显下降,细胞凋亡并未增加。结论 Cx43基因及GJIC在恶性胶质瘤的发生发展过程中起重要作用,可能成为恶性胶质瘤基因治疗的优选靶的之一。     

Inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication by tumor promoters in connexin43 and connexin32-expressing liver cells: cell specificity and role of protein kinase C

In this study, we investigated whether the tumor promoters, 12-O- tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), phenobarbital (PB), and 1,1- bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (DDT), inhibited gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in a cell-specific or connexin-specific manner and whether protein kinase C was involved. To do this, we used highly communicating WB-F344 rat liver epithelial cells, which express connexin43 as their predominant gap junction protein, WB-aB1 cells, which are a GJIC-incompetent mutant line of WB- F344 cells and that express connexin43, WB-a/32-10 cells, which are a highly communicating derivative of WB-aB1 cells generated by stable transduction with a connexin32 retroviral expression vector, and primary cultured rat hepatocytes, which express conexin32 predominantly. Treatment of WB-F344 and WB-a/32-10 cells, but not hepatocytes, with TPA inhibited GJIC (assayed by Lucifer Yellow dye microinjection). This inhibition involved protein kinase C because (i) inhibition was prevented by co-treatment of the cells with a specific protein kinase C inhibitor, bis-indolylmaleimide, and (ii) treatment with TPA for 24 h had no effect on dye-coupling in agreement with the downregulation of protein kinase C. TPA also caused the internalization of Cx43-containing gap junctions and the formation of a hyperphosphorylated form of Cx43, Cx43-P3, in WB-F344 cells only, but TPA had no effect on Cx32-containing gap junctions or protein mobility. In contrast, PB inhibited GJIC only in hepatocytes and DDT inhibited GJIC in all three types of cells; bis-indolylmaleimide did not block the effects of either agent. These results indicate that the inhibitory actions of TPA and PB on GJIC are cell-specific rather than connexin- specific and that TPA inhibits connexin43 and connexin32-mediated GJIC through a protein kinase C-dependent mechanism.      

Inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication and enhancement of growth in BALB/c 3t3 cells treated with connexin43 antisense oligonucleotides

Many studies have correlated reductions in gap junctional intercellular communication (a) with altered cellular growth, tumor promotion, and neoplastic transformation. To test directly whether reduced GJIC affects cellular growth, GJIC was inhibited in murine BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts by treatment with a phosphorothioatemodified antisense oligonucleotide targeted against the connexin43 translation start codon, and in vitro cell growth was monitored. The cells were incubated with the oligonucleotide (0.1-0.5 μM) in liposomes in serumless culture medium for 16 h; washed and refed with serum-containing medium; and analyzed for dye-coupling, connexin43 protein and mRNA levels, and cell growth over the next 5 d. The antisense oligonucleotide inhibited dye-coupling and reduced connexin43 protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner but had no effect on connexin43 mRNA levels. Cell growth rate was not affected, but saturation density was increased approximately threefold by the oligonucleotide. These data support a role for GJIC in the establishment of contact inhibition of in vitro cell growth. © 1995 Wiley- Liss, Inc.     

Pattern of cell‐to‐cell transfer of microRNA by gap junction and its effect on the proliferation of glioma cells

MicroRNA is expected to be a novel therapeutic tool for tumors. Gap junctions facilitate the transfer of microRNA, which exerts biological effects on tumor cells. However, the length of microRNA that can pass through certain gap junctions composed of specific connexin remains unknown. To address this question, the present study investigated the permeability of gap junctions composed of various connexins, including connexin 43, connexin 32 or connexin 37, to microRNAs consisting of 18‐27 nucleotides in glioma cells and cervical cancer cells. Results indicated that all of the microRNAs were able to be transferred from donor glioma cells to neighboring cells through the connexin 43 composed gap junction, but not the gap junctions composed of connexin 32 or connexin 37, in cervical cancer cells. Downregulation of the function of gap junctions comprising connexin 43 by pharmacological inhibition and shRNA significantly decreased the transfer of these microRNAs. In contrast, gap junction enhancers and overexpression of connexin 43 effectively increased these transfers. In glioma cells, cell proliferation was inhibited by microRNA‐34a. Additionally, these effects of microRNA‐34a were significantly enhanced by overexpression of connexin 43 in U251 cells, indicating that gap junctions play an important role in the antitumor effect of microRNA by transfer of microRNA to neighboring cells. Our data are the first to clarify the pattern of microRNA transmission through gap junctions and provide novel insights to show that antitumor microRNAs should be combined with connexin 43 or a connexin 43 enhancer, not connexin 32 or connexin 37, in order to improve the therapeutic effect.     

Two inhibitors of gap junctional intercellular communication, TPA and endosulfan: Different effects on phosphorylation of connexin 43 in the rat liver epithelial cell line, IAR 20

The skin tumour promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate(TPA) and the chlorinated insecticide, endosulfan, are two potentInhibitors of gap junctional intercellular communication. Inthe present study the effects of TPA and endosulfan on cellcommunication have been investigated in IAR 20 rat liver epithelialcells, as well as the effects of these compounds on connexin43 (cx43), the main gap junction protein in this cell line.The results clearly demonstrate that at non-toxic doses bothcompounds inhibited the cell communication by at least 90% within5 min. The communication was partially restored after 4 h ofTPA exposure and ahnost fully restored by 24 h, whereas in endosulfan-exposedcells the communica tion was completely down-regulated for thewhole exposure-period of 24 h. Iminunoblots of IAR 20 cell extractsIndicated that TPA initially caused an increased phosphorylationof cx43. A normal phosphorylation pattern was observed after4 h when the cell communication was restored. Immunoblot analysisafter endosulfan-exposure showed a slightly increased phosphorylationof cx43 after 10 mm treatment, gradually followed by dephosphorylationduring the rest of the 24 h treatment period. Immunostainingof IAR 20 cells showed that both compounds caused a rapid disappearanceof cx43 from the cell membrane. After 4 h of exposure inununofluorescent cx43-plaques started to reappear in the cell membrane,although less pronounced in endosulfan-treated cells. However,after 24 h of endosulfan-exposure a high number of cx43-spotswas demonstrated. These results indicate that different mechanismsare responsible for the inhibition of gap junctional intercellularcommunication induced by TPA and by endosulfan, at least duringthe later part of the 24 h exposure-period. TPA causes a markedhyperphosphorylation of cx43, whereas endosulfan increases phosphorylationinitially only slightly but longer exposure-periods lead tohypophosphorylation. Thus, phosphorylatlon as well as dephosphorylationseem to be important factors involved in the regulation of thefunction of cx43 in this cell line.     

Expression of a mutant hTERT in human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 and its clinical significance

Objective: To construct a mutant pEGFP- hTERT expression vector, to observe its steady expression in transfected human bladder carcinoma cell line T24 and its role in molecular regulatory mechanisms of telomerase, and to provide a new target gene for bladder cancer. Methods:PCR amplification was performed by using primers based on the known gene sequence of hTERT. PCR production was cloned into plasmid pGEMT-T easy and the sequence of mutant hTERT gene was analyzed. A recombinant mutant hTERT vector (pEGFP-hTERT) was constructed at the EcoR I and Sa/I sites of the pEGFP-C1 vector. After transfecting the fusion gene into bladder carcinoma cell line T24 by calcium phosphate-DNA coprecipitation, the steady expression of GFP-hTERT fusion protein was tested by fluorescent light microscopy. The proliferation changes of bladder carcinoma cell line T24 were detected by light microscopy and senescence correlated [3-galactosidase staining. Results: Identification of pEGFP-hTERT by enzyme digestion showed that mutant hTERT fragment had been cloned into EcoR I and Sal I sites of the pEGFP-C1 vector. The steady expression of GFP-hTERT fusion protein was localized in the nucleus of transfected cells. Expression of senescence-associated ~-galactosidase in transfected cells gradually increased with extended cultured time and cell growth was suppressed. Conclusion: The mutant-type hTERT gene suppresses the proliferation of bladder carcinoma cell line T24 by competitive effect on telomerase activity. This suggests that hTERT gene might be a suitable gene target for bladder cancer therapy.     

Inverse correlation between the metastatic capacity of cell clones derived from a rat mammary carcinoma and their intercellular communication with normal fibroblasts

We used three highly and two weakly metastatic clones obtained from a rat mammary carcinoma cell line (c-SST-2) to examine the relationship between the metastatic capacity of tumor cells and their intercellular communication with normal fibroblasts. By employing the dye-transfer method, we found that the frequency of intercellular communication between weakly metastatic clone cells and fibroblasts was significantly higher than that between highly metastatic clone cells and fibroblasts. These results suggest that normal fibroblasts may regulate the metastatic capacity of tumor cells by intercellular communication.