Aberrant Expression of Cx Isoforms in the Adult Caput Epididymis exposed to Estradiol Benzoate or Flutamide at the Weaning

Abstract

Connexin (Cx) involves in the regulation of various physiological functions of tissue by forming a channel, a gap junction which allows direct cell-cell communication, between adjacent cells. The effect of a single subcutaneous treatment of estradiol benzoate (EB) or flutamide (Flu) at the weaning age on the expression of Cx isoforms in the adult caput epididymis was evaluated in this research. Using quantitative real-time PCR analysis, a low-dose of EB [0.015 μg/kg body weight (BW)] caused significant decreases of Cx30.3, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45 mRNA levels and no change of Cx26, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx37 transcript levels. The treatment of a high-dose EB (1.5 μg/kg BW) resulted in reduced expression of Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx43, and Cx45 but increased expression of Cx37 and Cx40. Expression of all Cx isoforms examined, except Cx31, was significantly increased by the treatment of a low-dose Flu (500 μg/kg BW). However, the treatment of a high-dose Flu (5 mg/kg BW) led significant expressional suppression of Cx30.3, Cx31, Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45 but an increase of Cx37 transcript level. With the comparison of previous findings, the expression of Cx isoforms in the adult epididymis after the exposure to EB or Flu is likely differentially regulated in regional-specific and/or exposed postnatal age-specific manner.

Cx31.1 expression is modulated in HaCaT cells exposed to UV‐induced damage and scrape‐wounding

“…Furthermore, a recent study has shown that placental Cx31.1 expression is reduced in expression by high fat diet (Connor et al, 2020). In the testes, Cx31.1 is expressed in the epididymis where epithelial differentiation alters Cx31.1 expression profiles (Kidder & Cyr, 2016; Lee, 2016), as does oestradiol administration (Lee, 2017). Cx31.1 expression in the epididymis is also developmentally regulated during foetal growth (Lee & Kim, 2018).…”