title: Phosphatase-resistant gap junctions inhibit pathological remodeling and prevent arrhythmias.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Posttranslational phosphorylation of connexin43 (Cx43) has been proposed as a key regulatory event in normal cardiac gap junction expression and pathological gap junction remodeling. Nonetheless, the role of Cx43 phosphorylation in the context of the intact organism is poorly understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish whether specific Cx43 phosphorylation events influence gap junction expression and pathological remodeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We generated Cx43 germline knock-in mice in which serines 325/328/330 were replaced with phosphomimetic glutamic acids (S3E) or nonphosphorylatable alanines (S3A). The S3E mice were resistant to acute and chronic pathological gap junction remodeling and displayed diminished susceptibility to the induction of ventricular arrhythmias. Conversely, the S3A mice showed deleterious effects on cardiac gap junction formation and function, developed electric remodeling, and were highly susceptible to inducible arrhythmias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data demonstrate a mechanistic link between posttranslational phosphorylation of Cx43 and gap junction formation, remodeling, and arrhythmic susceptibility.
authors.affiliation: Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, New York University School of Medicine, 522 First Ave, Smilow 801, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Remo
authors.forename: Jiaxiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Frank M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Volpicelli
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giovannone
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lader
authors.forename: Fang-Yu
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Danielle S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lent
authors.forename: Gregory E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Morley
authors.forename: Glenn I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Fishman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018031:Connexin 43; C543076:GJA1 protein, mouse