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Glomerular expression of connexin 40 and connexin 43 in rat experimental glomerulonephritis

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Abstract

Background

Gap junctional intercellular communication is thought to play an important role in the maintenance of cell differentiation and homeostasis. Gap junctions connect glomerular mesangial cells to each other. In this study, we examined the glomerular expression of connexins (Cxs) 40 and 43 at both the protein and transcript levels in anti-Thy1.1 glomerulonephritis (GN).

Methods

Anti-Thy1.1 GN was induced by intravenous injection of anti-Thy1.1 monoclonal antibody 1-22-3. Cx protein expression was examined by immunofluorescence, immunoelectron microscopy, and Western blotting. Changes in mRNA levels were detected by real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Cx40 was detected in mesangial cells in normal rat glomeruli; its expression was reduced on days 3 and 7 and recovered to normal on day 14 following GN induction. Cx43 was detected in mesangial cells and podocytes in normal rat glomeruli, and its expression did not change during the disease course of GN. Expression of Cx40 and Cx43 was also detected in extraglomerular mesangial cells; this expression did not change during the disease course. Opposing patterns of expression between Cx40 and smooth muscle actin (SMA) were observed with double-immunofluorescence labeling. SMA is a differentiation marker of mesangial cells; it is often expressed during proliferation but not under physiological conditions.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Cx40 expression in mesangial cells is related to mesangial cell regeneration. Thus, Cx expression regulation could be a therapeutic target for glomerular diseases.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Yaoita for his helpful discussion. This research was supported by Grants-in-Aid for scientific research (C) (Nos. 17590821, 19590942 to T. Morioka) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Conflict of interest

All the authors have declared no competing interest.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Shinichi Okada

    Present address: Division of Pediatrics and Perinatology, Department of Multidisciplinary Internal Medicine, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cellular Physiology, Institute of Nephrology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan

    Tetsuo Morioka, Shinichi Okada, Fadia Kamal, Nadia T. Yanakieva-Georgieva, Ayako Sato, Honglan Piao & Takashi Oite

  2. Electron Microscopy Core Facility, Niigata University Graduate School of Dental and Medical Sciences, Niigata, Japan

    Masaaki Nameta

  3. Department of Molecular Signaling, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, Yamanashi University, Chuo, Yamanashi, Japan

    Jian Yao

  4. Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shinrakuen Hospital, Niigata, 950-2087, Japan

    Tetsuo Morioka

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  1. Tetsuo Morioka
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Correspondence to Tetsuo Morioka.

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Morioka, T., Okada, S., Nameta, M. et al. Glomerular expression of connexin 40 and connexin 43 in rat experimental glomerulonephritis. Clin Exp Nephrol 17, 191–204 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-012-0687-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10157-012-0687-2

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