Identification of two further gap-junctional proteins, connexin40 and connexin45, in human myometrial smooth muscle cells at term

Kilarski, Wincenty; Dupont, Emmanuel; Coppen, Steven R.; Yeh, Hung‐I; Vozzi, Cristina; Gourdie, Robert G.; Rezapour, Masoumeh; Ulmsten, Ulf; Roomans, Godfried M.; Severs, Nicholas J.

doi:10.1016/s0171-9335(98)80040-x

Cited by 46 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…During the differentiation of mouse cardiac myocytes, expression of Cx43 is positively correlated with that of desmin. 43 In a similar manner, in myometrial SMCs, both desmin 44 and Cx43 16,45 are upregulated in late pregnancy. In both these cases, the presence of high levels of desmin reflects active contractile properties of the cells with the concomitant abundance of Cx43 linked to coordination of electromechanical activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

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Differential Expression of Connexin43 and Desmin Defines Two Subpopulations of Medial Smooth Muscle Cells in the Human Internal Mammary Artery

Yeh

Haw

et al. 1999

ATVB

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Abstract-Upregulation of connexin43-gap junctions is associated with transition of contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to the synthetic state. To determine whether phenotypically distinct subpopulations of medial SMCs differentially express connexin43, we investigated the human distal internal mammary artery, a structurally heterogeneous vessel with features ranging from elastic to elastomuscular to muscular. Immunoconfocal microscopy combined with quantitative analysis and complemented by in situ hybridization showed that SMCs in the elastic medial regions expressed high levels of connexin43 but low levels of desmin, whereas those of muscular medial regions expressed low levels of connexin43 but high levels of desmin. Ultrastructurally, SMCs of both regions were of the contractile phenotype, but the former cells were irregular in shape with relatively prominent synthetic organelles whereas the latter were spindle shaped with fewer synthetic organelles. Vimentin, smooth muscle ␣-actin, calponin, h-caldesmon, and myosin heavy chains (SM1 and SM2) were equally highly expressed by most cells in both subpopulations. The connexin43/desmin expression pattern of SMCs in regions of intimal thickening resembled those of elastic medial regions. These findings refine the view suggested from previous studies that high levels of connexin43 expression are associated with SMCs of a less contractile/more synthetic phenotype. In the internal mammary artery, the 2 subpopulations of SMCs with markedly different connexin43 expression levels both represent a differentiated contractile phenotype, but the subpopulation showing high levels of connexin43-gap junctions is characterized by low levels of desmin and structural features that reflect a more synthetic tendency.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…The production of Cx40, Cx43, and Cx45 clones and their characterization by northern blot have been reported previously. 16 The human Cx37 (access No. M96789) cDNA was obtained by PCR amplification of human genomic DNA, using base 89 to 108 as upstream primer and base 1552 to 1571 as downstream primer.…”

Section: In Situ Hybridizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential Expression of Connexin43 and Desmin Defines Two Subpopulations of Medial Smooth Muscle Cells in the Human Internal Mammary Artery

Yeh

Haw

et al. 1999

ATVB

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“…In contrast to human tissue (Kilarski et al, 1998;Kilarski et al, 2001) only very weak Cx40 immunosignals could be detected in mouse myometrial SMCs, whereas abundant expression was found in blood vessels (Fig. 3B,C).…”

Section: Journal Of Cell Science 119 (9)mentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Therefore, other connexin isoforms may compensate for the function of Cx43 gap junctions. As described by different groups Kilarski et al, 1998;Kilarski et al, 2001;Albrecht et al, 1996) Cx26, Cx40, and Cx45 are expressed in addition to Cx43 in the uterus. Furthermore, Kilarski et al (Kilarski et al, 2001) demonstrated, that in human myometrium Cx43, Cx45, and Cx40 are present together within the same gap-junctional plaque.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Cx40 was found in human myometrial muscle cells at term (Kilarski et al, 1998;Kilarski et al, 2001) but there is no evidence that its expression is regulated during pregnancy. In humans and other mammals, Cx43 gap junctions are scarce in the myometrium of the nonpregnant uterus but increase in size and abundance with parturition (Chow and Lye, 1994;Orsino et al, 1996, Ou et al, 1997Kilarski et al, 1998;Kilarski et al, 2001). By contrast, Cx45 channels are present in the non-pregnant and early pregnant myometrium but are decreased before term (Albrecht et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ablation of connexin43 in uterine smooth muscle cells of the mouse causes delayed parturition

Döring

Shynlova

Tsui

et al. 2006

Journal of Cell Science

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Gap junctions are characteristically increased in the myometrium during term and preterm delivery and are thought to be essential for the development of uterine contractions during labour. Expression of connexin43 (Cx43), the major myometrial gap junction protein, is increased during delivery. We have generated a mouse mutant (Cx43fl/fl:SM-CreERT2), in which the coding region of Cx43 can be specifically deleted in smooth muscle cells at any given time point by application of tamoxifen. By this approach, we were able to study long-term effects on myometrial functions that are necessary for parturition as well as gap junction intercellular communication in primary myometrial cell cultures. We found a prolongation of the pregnancy in 82% of tamoxifen-treated Cx43fl/fl:SM-CreERT2 mice as well as decreased dye coupling in cultured primary myocytes of these animals. Other parturition-specific parameters such as the regulation of oxytocin receptor, prostaglandin F receptor or progesterone remained unchanged. Our results indicate the important function of Cx43 during parturition in the living animal and suggest further strategies to investigate the role of connexins in uterine contractility in transgenic mice.

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Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

Daniel

1999

Microsc. Res. Tech.

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Identification of two further gap-junctional proteins, connexin40 and connexin45, in human myometrial smooth muscle cells at term

Cited by 46 publications

References 30 publications

Differential Expression of Connexin43 and Desmin Defines Two Subpopulations of Medial Smooth Muscle Cells in the Human Internal Mammary Artery

Differential Expression of Connexin43 and Desmin Defines Two Subpopulations of Medial Smooth Muscle Cells in the Human Internal Mammary Artery

Ablation of connexin43 in uterine smooth muscle cells of the mouse causes delayed parturition

Gap junctions in intestinal smooth muscle and interstitial cells of Cajal

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