title: Connexin43 knockdown in bone marrow‑derived dendritic cells by small interfering RNA leads to a diminished T-cell stimulation.
abstract: Dendritic cells, the most powerful type of antigen‑presenting cells, have the unique ability to induce primary immune responses. Connexin43 expression is upregulated to increase gap junctions when immune cells are exposed to inflammatory factors. The present study applied small‑interfering RNA (siRNA) to decrease connexin43 expression. The results showed that silencing of connexin43 using siRNA resulted in arrest of bone marrow‑derived dendritic cell (BM‑DC) maturation as evidenced by reduced expression of major histocompatibility complex II, CD40, CD80 and CD86. Functionally, connexin43‑silenced BM‑DC showed a markedly decreased capability to induce T-cell stimulation. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that antigens present on BM‑DCs can be suppressed by connexin43 knockdown in BM‑DCs. The present study therefore presented an effective method to modulate the immunology of BM‑DCs.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Fuling
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wencheng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018274:Electroporation; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020868:Gene Silencing; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018031:Connexin 43; D012330:RNA, Double-Stranded; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering