Ablation of gap junctional communication in hepatocytes of transgenic mice does not lead to disrupted cellular homeostasis or increased spontaneous tumourigenesis

• Published in: European journal of cell biology Vol. 85; no. 8; pp. 717 - 728
• Main Authors: Ott, Thomas, Jokwitz, Melanie, Lenhard, Diana, Romualdi, Alessandro, Dombrowski, Frank, Ittrich, Carina, Schwarz, Michael, Willecke, Klaus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Elsevier GmbH 01.08.2006
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - drug effects; Carcinogens - toxicity; Cell Communication - physiology; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Connexin 26; Connexin26; Connexin32; Connexins - deficiency; Connexins - genetics; Connexins - physiology; Cx26, Connexin26; Cx32, Connexin32; db-cAMP, Dibutyryl 3,5-cyclic adenosine monophosphate; Diethylnitrosamine - pharmacology; Female; Gap Junction beta-1 Protein; Gap junctions; Gap Junctions - genetics; Gap Junctions - physiology; Gene targeting; GJIC, Gap junctional intercellular communication; Hepatocytes - cytology; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Hepatocytes - metabolism; Homeostasis - genetics; Homeostasis - physiology; Immunoblotting; Immunohistochemistry; Liver; Liver - cytology; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - chemically induced; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - genetics; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Male; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis - methods; PH, Partial hepatectomy; Proliferation; Connexin26; GJIC, Gap junctional intercellular communication; PH, Partial hepatectomy; Gene targeting; Gap junctions; Liver; Cx26, Connexin26; db-cAMP, Dibutyryl 3,5-cyclic adenosine monophosphate; Connexin32; Proliferation; Cx32, Connexin32

Gap junctions between murine hepatocytes are composed of two subunit proteins, connexin26 (Cx26) and connexin32 (Cx32). Previously, we found increased formation of chemically induced liver tumours but no increase in spontaneous development of preneoplastic hepatic foci in mice that lacked Cx32 and e...