Published in

Karger Publishers, Journal of Vascular Research, 4(47), p. 277-286, 2009

DOI: 10.1159/000265562

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Site-Specific Connexin Phosphorylation Is Associated with Reduced Heterocellular Communication between Smooth Muscle and Endothelium

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

<i>Background/Aims:</i> Myoendothelial junctions (MEJs) represent a specialized signaling domain between vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and endothelial cells (EC). The functional consequences of phosphorylation state of the connexins (Cx) at the MEJ have not been explored. <i>Methods/Results:</i> Application of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate sodium (pCPT) to mouse cremasteric arterioles reduces the detection of connexin 43 (Cx43) phosphorylated at its carboxyl terminal serine 368 site (S368) at the MEJ in vivo. After single-cell microinjection of a VSMC in mouse cremaster arterioles, only in the presence of pCPT was dye transfer to EC observed. We used a vascular cell co-culture (VCCC) and applied the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (PMA) or fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) to induce phosphorylation of Cx43 S368. This phosphorylation event was associated with a significant reduction in dye transfer and calcium communication. Using a novel method to monitor increases in intracellular calcium across the in vitro MEJ, we noted that PMA and FGF-2 both inhibited movement of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP<sub>3</sub>), but to a lesser extent Ca<sup>2+</sup>. <i>Conclusion:</i> These data indicate that site-specific connexin phosphorylation at the MEJ can potentially regulate the movement of solutes between EC and VSMC in the vessel wall.