ISSN:
0263-6484
Keywords:
Gap junctions
;
retinoic acid
;
liver cells
;
connexin43
;
up-regulation
;
Chemistry
;
Biochemistry and Biotechnology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Medicine
Notes:
The mechanism by which all-trans retinoic acid (RA) stimulates gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the rat liver epithelial cell line. IAR203, was investigated. When RA, at 0·1 μM for 24-48 h, enhanced the dye transfer in IAR203 cells (× 1·4), it increased the amount of connexin43 (Cx43) in the cell-cell contact regions of the plasma membrane, as evidenced by analysis by Western blot and by immunofluorescence. It had no effect on the level of Cx43 mRNA. Freeze-fracture analysis of the size of gap junctions revealed an increase of the proportion of small gap junctions in RA-treated cells. We conclude that, in IAR203 cells, RA stimulates GJIC by acting at the post-tran-scriptional level of Cx43 regulation. The possibility that RA acts indirectly on the regulation of Cx43 expression, and increases the helf-life of Cx43 by inducing adhesion molecules is discussed.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cbf.290130112
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