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Regional differentiation of desmin, connexin43, and connexin45 expression patterns in rat aortic smooth muscle
- Source :
- Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology. 21(3)
- Publication Year :
- 2001
-
Abstract
- Abstract —The gap-junctional protein, connexin43, is differentially expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) according to phenotype. Previous studies suggest that desmin-negative SMCs are characterized by high levels of connexin43, whereas desmin-positive SMCs (of a more contractile phenotype) typically have low connexin43 levels. In this study, we examine systematically the inverse relationship between connexin43 and desmin in SMCs of defined regions of the rat aortic media and determine whether additional connexin isotypes are expressed and contribute to this relationship. Immunoconfocal microscopy demonstrated that (1) the inverse relationship between connexin43 and desmin expression holds true for the media of sequential aortic zones, with 1 exception, the ascending aorta, and (2) an additional vascular connexin, connexin45, is expressed by aortic SMCs. Examination of connexin43, connexin45, and desmin expression in sequential aortic zones reveals 3 SMC subpopulations. The first, predominating in the aortic arch and thoracic aorta, is desmin negative and contains high connexin43 levels; the second, predominating in the abdominal aorta and iliac artery, is desmin positive and contains low connexin43 levels; and the third, which is restricted to the ascending aorta, is desmin positive and expresses high connexin43 levels. Connexin45 levels are high in the ascending aorta but low in the other aortic segments. In para-aortic veins, a fourth SMC subpopulation appears, one that is desmin positive and contains connexin45 but not connexin43. These results demonstrate that a diversity of connexin expression patterns characterizes distinctive subpopulations of medial SMCs in situ with a potential to contribute to regional differentiation of vascular function.
- Subjects :
- Aortic arch
Male
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty
Vascular smooth muscle
Heart Ventricles
Connexin
Biology
Connexins
Muscle, Smooth, Vascular
Desmin
Veins
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Antibody Specificity
medicine.artery
Ascending aorta
medicine
Thoracic aorta
Animals
Humans
Microscopy, Immunoelectron
Aorta
Abdominal aorta
Anatomy
musculoskeletal system
Immunohistochemistry
Rats
Connexin 43
cardiovascular system
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
HeLa Cells
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15244636
- Volume :
- 21
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5e5b26399d74a08a7328fc05497f0c44