title: Altered expression of connexin43 and phosphorylation connexin43 in glioma tumors.
abstract: In this study, we aim to evaluate the connexin (Cx43) and phosphorylation Cx43 (p-Cx43) expression of human glioma tumors and correlate their expression with degrees of malignancy and proliferation, apoptosis, and migration activity of tumors. Cx43 and p-Cx43 expression were examined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining. The U251 cell viability was measured by MTT analysis. The apoptosis and migration were also evaluated by flow cytometric analysis and fluoroblok transwell chambers, respectively. We found that the Cx43 expression were significantly downregulated in in malignant glioma (WHO grade III and IV), compared to the malignant glioma (WHO grade I and II) and the p-Cx43 expression levels of malignant glioma (WHO grade III and IV) were significantly increased (P<0.05), compared to the malignant glioma (WHO grade I and II) at immunohistochemical analysis. After treatment of cells with a specific inhibitor of PKC, MAPK, and PTK inhibitors, the cell viability and migration were significantly decreased, while the apoptosis was slightly induced. In conclusion, the Cx43 expression level is inversely correlated with the tumor grade and proliferation and migration activity of tumor. Higher p-Cx43 expression level in high tumor grade suggests that a complex mechanism is involved in the suppression of tumor growth by connexins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China ; Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Yun
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Jin
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Jin-Qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Ganzhou People's Hospital Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018031:Connexin 43; C500216:GJA1 protein, human
keywords: Connexin43; U251; malignant glioma; phosphorylation