Up-regulation of Connexin43 in the glial scar following photothrombotic ischemic injury.
Several types of CNS injury and various diseases are associated with the development of a glial scar. Astrocytes are major components of the glial scar. They are interconnected by gap junctions, with connexin43 (Cx43) being the most prominent channel protein. We applied a model of focal cerebral ischemia to study the spatio-temporal expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein, as well as of Cx43 mRNA and protein in gliotic tissue up to 60 days after injury. Reactive astrocytes enveloping the lesion up-regulated their Cx43 mRNA and protein. A band of reactive astrocytes filling in the lesion exhibited elevated Cx43 and showed a high degree of proliferation. Because of these findings, we hypothesize a role for Cx43 in glial scar formation, specifically in the proliferation of astrocytes.
Haupt
Corinna
C
Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany.
Witte
Otto W
OW
Frahm
Christiane
C
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005911:Gliosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D020767:Intracranial Thrombosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
D018031:Connexin 43; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger