Retinoic acid modulates gap junctional permeability: a comparative study of dye spreading and ionic coupling in cultured cells.
All-trans retinoic acid (RA), which was recently identified as a morphogen, affects gap junctional permeability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In five different established mammalian cell lines (FL, BRL, BICR/M1Rk, HEL37, BT5C1) 100 mumol/liter RA reduced Lucifer yellow spreading within 30 min to 20-50% of the control. Ionic coupling, however, remained almost unaffected under the same conditions. Freeze-fractured membranes of untreated and RA-treated cells were similar with regard to frequency and sizes of gap junction plaques. With concentrations of less than 10 mumol/liter RA the dye spreading increased significantly in the human amniotic cell line FL, pointing to a possible modulatory effect of RA on junctional communication.
Brümmer
F
F
Abteilung Biophysik, Universität Stuttgart, FRG.
Zempel
G
G
Bühle
P
P
Stein
J C
JC
Hülser
D F
DF
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007546:Isoquinolines; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007546:Isoquinolines; D014212:Tretinoin; C017475:lucifer yellow