[Effects of retinoic acid on the expression of Cx43 and its gap juncion intercellular communication function in testicular cancer cell].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of Cx43 and its gap junction intercellular communication function in testicular cancer cells.


METHODS
Cultured testicular cancer cells I-10 were treated with different concentration of RA (2.5, 5.0,10.0 micromol/L). The expression of Cx43 in 1-10 cells was detected by Western blot, and the distribution and location of Cx43 on cellular membrane was studied with immunofluorescence assay. Parachute assay was used to detect the function of gap junction intercellular communication composed of Cx43 in 1-10 cells.


RESULTS
RA (2.5, 5.0, 10.0 micromol/L) markedly increased the expression of Cx43 in I-10 cells, the enhancement ratios were 43.14% +/- 2.1%, 58.09% +/- 1.8%, 143.13% +/- 1.6%, respectively. The result of immunofluorescence assay showed that RA (2.5, 5.0, 10.0 micromol/L) obviously increased the level of Cx43 located on the cellular membrane of I-10 cells. The result of parachute assay demonstrated that RA (2.5,5.0,10.0 gmol/L) could enhance the intercellular dye coupling through gap junction, the enhancement ratios were 26.1% +/- 2.3%, 63.3% +/- 1.6%, 140.5% +/- 3.4%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
RA could enhance the gap junction intercellular communication by increasing the expression of Cx43 in I-10 cells.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Xi
X
Han
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Xu-Hui
XH
Tong
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Shu-Ying
SY
Dong
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Chao
C
Zheng
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233000, China.
Bin-Bin
BB
Yu
D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology*; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018031:Connexin 43; D014212:Tretinoin