Nature of Cx30-containing channels in the adult mouse mammary gland |
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Authors: | Darren Locke Susan Jamieson Torsten Stein Jade Liu Malcolm B Hodgins Andrew L Harris Barry Gusterson |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ, Newark, NJ 07103, USA;(2) Section of Squamous Cell Biology and Dermatology, Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK;(3) Section of Gene Regulation and Mechanisms of Disease, Division of Cancer Sciences and Molecular Pathology,Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK |
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Abstract: | Oligonucleotide microarray analysis uniquely shows that several members of the connexin family of gap junction proteins are
expressed by the epithelium during mouse mammary gland development. Connexin 26 (Cx26) is present throughout pregnancy and
lactation, is then undetectable shortly after weaning, but reappears during involution. Additionally, Cx30 is abundant in
late-pregnant and early lactating gland epithelium. From mid-pregnancy into early lactation, Cx26 and Cx30 co-localize in
junctional plaques between epithelial cells, forming hemichannels of mixed connexin content. Microarray analysis also shows
Cx32 is developmentally restricted to parturition, suggesting that specific modification of gap junction channel composition
and/or intercellular communication pathways occurs at parturition. Specifically, heteromeric channels of all pairwise combinations
are formed when these connexins are expressed within the same cells. Of these hemichannels, Cx26/Cx32 pores are increasingly
sensitive to closure by taurine (an osmolyte implicated in milk protein synthesis) with increasing Cx26 content. In contrast,
physiological taurine concentrations have no effect on Cx26/Cx30 and Cx30/Cx32 channel activity. Such changes in connexin
expression and channel composition and their chemical modulation are discussed in relation to the various stages of mammary
gland development in the adult mouse.
This work was supported by grants GM36044 and GM61406 from the NIH to A.L. Harris and by generous funding from Breakthrough
Breast Cancer Research to B. Gusterson. |
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Keywords: | Pregnancy Lactation Taurine Connexin Heteromeric Mouse (Balb/c) |
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