title: Connexin32 is expressed in vascular endothelial cells and participates in gap-junction intercellular communication.
abstract: Endothelial cells (ECs) play many roles in vascular biology, including control of blood pressure, blood clotting, atherosclerosis, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Gap junctions (GJs) are channel-like assemblies of connexin (Cx) family proteins that connect neighboring cells and modulate and synchronize their intracellular environments by the transfer of intracellular mediators. It has been reported that vascular ECs express Cx37, Cx40, and Cx43, but not Cx32. Here, we showed that Cx32 mRNA and protein are expressed in various cultured human ECs. We confirmed Cx32 expression in blood vessel ECs using wild-type and Cx32 knock-out mice. We observed that dye transfer between cultured ECs through gap junctions is suppressed by an anti-Cx32 monoclonal antibody. These findings suggest that vascular ECs express Cx32, which participates in endothelial gap-junction intercellular communication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Pathobiology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu-city, Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: Esteban C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Gabazza
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein
chemical_list: D017630:Connexins; D000097002:Gap Junction beta-1 Protein