Modulation of gap junction transcript and protein expression during pregnancy in the rat
- PMID:1688855
- PMCID: PMC2116004
- DOI: 10.1083/jcb.110.2.269
Modulation of gap junction transcript and protein expression during pregnancy in the rat
Abstract
The expression of three different gap junction transcripts, alpha 1 (Cx43), beta 1 (Cx32), and beta 2 (Cx26) was examined in several organs during pregnancy in the rat. In all of the organs that were examined--uterus, ovary, heart, and liver--there was a strong correlation between levels of gap junction mRNA and gap junction antigens that were detected at different stages of pregnancy. A striking change in alpha 1 transcript levels (a 5.5-fold increase) was detected in the uterine myometrium on the day before parturition. This elevation of the alpha 1 transcript is thought to be associated with the formation of gap junctions that are required for synchronizing the contractility of the myometrial cells during parturition. 2 d before parturition, there was a detectable elevation of beta 2 transcripts and protein in the endometrial epithelium, which was then followed by a dramatic decrease in beta 2 gap junctional protein on the day before parturition. There was also a substantial elevation of alpha 1 transcripts (a 6.7-fold increase) in the stromal regions of the ovary on the day before parturition that was identical to the temporal pattern of alpha 1 expression in the myometrium. In all three instances--the alpha 1 transcripts in the myometrium, beta 2 transcripts in the endometrium, and alpha 1 transcripts in the ovary--the transcript modulation appeared to be cell specific, because the changes in transcript levels of these three gene products occurred independently of the poly(A) + RNA concentrations at the same pregnancy stages in the respective organs. There were no specific changes detected in gap junction transcript levels in the heart and liver during pregnancy. These observations indicate that a cell-specific modulation of gap junction expression occurs in two regions of the uterus and the ovary during pregnancy. Further, it appears that the same gap junction gene in different organs, such as the alpha 1 gene in the uterine myometrium and the heart, can be differentially regulated.
Similar articles
- Molecular cloning of a rat uterine gap junction protein and analysis of gene expression during gestation.Lang LM, Beyer EC, Schwartz AL, Gitlin JD.Lang LM, et al.Am J Physiol. 1991 May;260(5 Pt 1):E787-93. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.1991.260.5.E787.Am J Physiol. 1991.PMID:1852114
- Gap junction regulation during preterm labor in the rat: multiple effects of the antiprogesterone RU486.Risek B, Gilula NB.Risek B, et al.Biol Reprod. 1996 Sep;55(3):525-35. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod55.3.525.Biol Reprod. 1996.PMID:8862768
- An immunochemical and immunocytologic study of the increase in myometrial gap junctions (and connexin 43) in rats and humans during pregnancy.Tabb T, Thilander G, Grover A, Hertzberg E, Garfield R.Tabb T, et al.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1992 Aug;167(2):559-67. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9378(11)91453-7.Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1992.PMID:1323215
- Increased expression of connexin-43 in the rat myometrium during labor is associated with an increase in the plasma estrogen:progesterone ratio.Lye SJ, Nicholson BJ, Mascarenhas M, MacKenzie L, Petrocelli T.Lye SJ, et al.Endocrinology. 1993 Jun;132(6):2380-6. doi: 10.1210/endo.132.6.8389279.Endocrinology. 1993.PMID:8389279
- Spatiotemporal expression of three gap junction gene products involved in fetomaternal communication during rat pregnancy.Risek B, Gilula NB.Risek B, et al.Development. 1991 Sep;113(1):165-81. doi: 10.1242/dev.113.1.165.Development. 1991.PMID:1662598
Cited by
- Intraovarian control of selective follicular growth and induction of oocyte maturation in mammals.Sato E.Sato E.Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2015;91(3):76-91. doi: 10.2183/pjab.91.76.Proc Jpn Acad Ser B Phys Biol Sci. 2015.PMID:25765010Free PMC article.Review.
- Gap junctions.Nielsen MS, Axelsen LN, Sorgen PL, Verma V, Delmar M, Holstein-Rathlou NH.Nielsen MS, et al.Compr Physiol. 2012 Jul;2(3):1981-2035. doi: 10.1002/cphy.c110051.Compr Physiol. 2012.PMID:23723031Free PMC article.Review.
- Intercellular communication in smooth muscle.Huizinga JD, Liu LW, Blennerhassett MG, Thuneberg L, Molleman A.Huizinga JD, et al.Experientia. 1992 Oct 15;48(10):932-41. doi: 10.1007/BF01919140.Experientia. 1992.PMID:1426144Review.
- Gap junctional proteins, connexin 26, 32, and 43 in sheep ovaries throughout the estrous cycle.Grazul-Bilska AT, Redmer DA, Bilski JJ, Jablonka-Shariff A, Doraiswamy V, Reynolds LP.Grazul-Bilska AT, et al.Endocrine. 1998 Jun;8(3):269-79. doi: 10.1385/ENDO:8:3:269.Endocrine. 1998.PMID:9741832
- Single channel behavior of recombinant beta 2 gap junction connexons reconstituted into planar lipid bilayers.Buehler LK, Stauffer KA, Gilula NB, Kumar NM.Buehler LK, et al.Biophys J. 1995 May;68(5):1767-75. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(95)80353-X.Biophys J. 1995.PMID:7542035Free PMC article.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Related information
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Miscellaneous