TY - JOUR
T1 - Human connexin31.9, unlike its orthologous protein connexin30.2 in the mouse, is not detectable in the human cardiac conduction system
AU - Kreuzberg, Maria M.
AU - Liebermann, Marcus
AU - Segschneider, Sara
AU - Dobrowolski, Radoslaw
AU - Dobrzynski, Halina
AU - Kaba, Riyaz
AU - Rowlinson, Giselle
AU - Dupont, Emmanuel
AU - Severs, Nicholas J.
AU - Willecke, Klaus
PY - 2009/4
Y1 - 2009/4
N2 - In the human heart connexin(Cx)40, Cx43 and Cx45-containing gap junctional channels electrically couple cardiomyocytes, forming a functional syncytium. In the mouse heart, additionally, Cx30.2-containing gap junctions have been detected in the atrioventricular node where they are implicated, together with Cx45, in impulse delay. However, whether the human ortholog of Cx30.2, Cx31.9, is expressed in the human heart has not previously been investigated. We therefore generated Cx31.9 specific antibodies to test for the expression of Cx31.9 in the human heart. These antibodies recognized the Cx31.9 protein in HeLaCx31.9 transfectants by immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses. However, we did not find punctate Cx31.9 specific immunofluorescence signals in the working myocardium or in the impulse generation and conduction system of adult or fetal human heart. Complementary immunoblot analyses did not reveal Cx31.9 protein in the adult atrial or ventricular myocardium. We conclude that the Cx31.9 protein, unlike its counterpart in the mouse, is not expressed in detectable quantities and is thus unlikely to contribute to the impulse generation and conduction system or the working myocardium of the human heart.
AB - In the human heart connexin(Cx)40, Cx43 and Cx45-containing gap junctional channels electrically couple cardiomyocytes, forming a functional syncytium. In the mouse heart, additionally, Cx30.2-containing gap junctions have been detected in the atrioventricular node where they are implicated, together with Cx45, in impulse delay. However, whether the human ortholog of Cx30.2, Cx31.9, is expressed in the human heart has not previously been investigated. We therefore generated Cx31.9 specific antibodies to test for the expression of Cx31.9 in the human heart. These antibodies recognized the Cx31.9 protein in HeLaCx31.9 transfectants by immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses. However, we did not find punctate Cx31.9 specific immunofluorescence signals in the working myocardium or in the impulse generation and conduction system of adult or fetal human heart. Complementary immunoblot analyses did not reveal Cx31.9 protein in the adult atrial or ventricular myocardium. We conclude that the Cx31.9 protein, unlike its counterpart in the mouse, is not expressed in detectable quantities and is thus unlikely to contribute to the impulse generation and conduction system or the working myocardium of the human heart.
KW - Atrioventricular node
KW - Cardiac conduction
KW - Connexins
KW - Cx31.9
KW - Electrical coupling
KW - GJD3
KW - Gap junctions
KW - Sinoatrial node
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U2 - 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2008.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2008.12.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 19168070
AN - SCOPUS:61449170916
VL - 46
SP - 553
EP - 559
JO - Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
JF - Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
SN - 0022-2828
IS - 4
ER -