scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Cx31 and Cx43 in Differentiation-Competent Rodent Keratinocytes

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1443
Author(s):  
Akina Au ◽  
Qing Shao ◽  
Kyra K. White ◽  
Sergiu A. Lucaciu ◽  
Jessica L. Esseltine ◽  
...  

When considering connexin expression and regulation, the epidermis of the skin is one of the most complex tissues found in mammals even though it largely contains a single cell type, the keratinocyte. In the rodent epidermis, up to 9 connexin family members have been detected at the mRNA level. Many of these connexins are temporally and spatially regulated in coordination with keratinocyte progenitor cell differentiation and migration from the stratum basale to form the stratum spinosum and stratum granulosum layers before finally forming the stratum corneum. Cx43 is the principal connexin found in basal keratinocytes and to a lesser degree found in keratinocytes that have begun to differentiate where Cx26, Cx30 and Cx31 become prevalent. Here we show that the CRISPR-Cas9 ablation of Cx43 reduces overall gap junction coupling in monolayer cultures of rat epidermal keratinocytes (REKs) and dysregulates the differentiation of REKs when grown in organotypic cultures. Natively found in differentiated keratinocytes, Cx31 readily assembles into gap junctions when expressed in REKs where it can extensively co-assemble into the same gap junctions with co-expressed Cx30. Time-lapse imaging indicated that many Cx31 gap junctions are mobile within the plasma membrane undergoing both fusion and fission events. Finally, the persistence of pre-existing Cx31 gap junctions in the presence of the protein trafficking blocker, brefeldin A, is longer than that found for Cx43 gap junctions indicating that it has a distinctly different life expectancy in REKs. Collectively, this study highlights the importance of Cx43 in rodent keratinocyte differentiation and suggests that Cx31 acquires life-cycle properties that are distinct from Cx43.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarmistha Mahanty ◽  
Shruthi Shirur Dakappa ◽  
Rezwan Shariff ◽  
Saloni Patel ◽  
Mruthyunjaya Mathapathi Swamy ◽  
...  

AbstractKeratinocytes maintain epidermis integrity and function including physical and antimicrobial barrier through cellular differentiation. This process is predicted to be controlled by calcium ion gradient and nutritional stress. Keratinocytes undergo proteome changes during differentiation, which enhances the intracellular organelle digestion to sustain the stress conditions. However, the molecular mechanism between epidermal differentiation and organelle homeostasis is poorly understood. Here, we used primary neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes to study the link between cellular differentiation, signaling pathways and organelle turnover. Upon addition of calcium chloride (2 mM) to the culture medium, keratinocytes increased their cell size and the expression of differentiation markers. Moreover, differentiated keratinocytes showed enhanced lysosome biogenesis that was dependent on ATF6-arm of UPR signaling but independent of mTOR-MiT/TFE transcription factors. Furthermore, chemical inhibition of mTOR has increased keratinocyte differentiation and relocalized the MiT/TFE TFs to the lysosome membranes, indicating that autophagy activation promotes the epidermal differentiation. Interestingly, differentiation of keratinocytes resulted in dispersal of fragmented Golgi and lysosomes, and the later organelles showed colocalization with Golgi-tethering proteins, suggesting that these lysosomes possibly originated from Golgi, hence named as Golgi-associated lysosomes (GALs). Consistent to this prediction, inhibition of Golgi function using brefeldin A completely abolished the formation of GALs and the keratinocyte differentiation. Thus, ER stress regulates the biogenesis of GALs, which maintains keratinocyte differentiation and epidermal homeostasis.


2001 ◽  
Vol 114 (21) ◽  
pp. 3845-3855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia E. M. Martin ◽  
Geraldine Blundell ◽  
Shoeb Ahmad ◽  
Rachel J. Errington ◽  
W. Howard Evans

The assembly of gap junctions was investigated in mammalian cells expressing connexin (Cx) 26, 32 and 43 fused to green, yellow or cyan fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, CFP). Targeting of Cx32-CFP and 43-GFP to gap junctions and gap junctional communication was inhibited in cells treated with Brefeldin A, a drug that disassembles the Golgi. However gap junctions constructed of Cx26-GFP were only minimally affected by Brefeldin A. Nocodazole, a microtubule disruptor, had little effect on the assembly of Cx43-GFP gap junctions, but perturbed assembly of Cx26-GFP gap junctions. Co-expression of Cx26-YFP and Cx32-CFP in cells treated with Brefeldin A resulted in assembly of gap junctions constructed of Cx26-YFP. Two amino acids that distinguish Cx26 from Cx32 in transmembrane domains were mutated in Cx32 to investigate underlying mechanisms determining trafficking routes to gap junctions. One mutation, Cx32I28L, conferred on it partial Cx26-like trafficking properties as well the post-translational membrane insertion characteristics of Cx26, suggesting that a key determinant regulating trafficking was present in the first transmembrane domain. The results provide a protein trafficking basis for specifying and regulating connexin composition of gap junctions and thus selectivity of intercellular signaling, with Cx32 and 43 trafficking through the secretory pathway and Cx26 also following an alternative pathway.


1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 1977-1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
X H Lin ◽  
K A Grako ◽  
M A Burg ◽  
W B Stallcup

The transmembrane proteoglycan NG2 is able to interact both with components of the extracellular matrix and with the actin cytoskeleton. An examination of the distribution of NG2 during cell spreading suggests that NG2 can associate with two distinct types of actin-containing cytoskeletal structures, depending on the nature of the stimulus derived from the substratum. On fibronectin-coated dishes, cell surface NG2 associates exclusively with stress fibers developing within the cell. On poly-L-lysine-coated dishes, cell surface NG2 is associated with radial processes extending from the cell periphery. Spreading on fibronectin/poly-L-lysine mixtures, as well as on matrix components such as laminin, tenascin, and type VI collagen, produces cells with mosaic characteristics, i.e., NG2 is associated with both types of structures. NG2-positive radial processes are distinct from a second population of radial structures that contain fascin. NG2-positive extensions appear to be individual self-contained units (filopodia), whereas fascin is associated with actin ribs within sheets of membrane (lamellipodia). NG2- and fascin-positive structures are often localized to opposite poles of spreading cells, suggesting a possible role for the two classes of cellular extensions in the establishment of cell polarity during morphogenesis or migration. Time lapse imaging confirms the presence of lamellipodia on the leading edges of migrating cells, while numerous filopodia are present on trailing edges.


Acta Naturae ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-96
Author(s):  
Yu. K. Doronin ◽  
I. V. Senechkin ◽  
L. V. Hilkevich ◽  
M. A. Kurcer

In order to estimate the diversity of embryo cleavage relatives to embryo progress (blastocyst formation), time-lapse imaging data of preimplantation human embryo development were used. This retrospective study is focused on the topographic features and time parameters of the cleavages, with particular emphasis on the lengths of cleavage cycles and the genealogy of blastomeres in 2- to 8-cell human embryos. We have found that all 4-cell human embryos have four developmental variants that are based on the sequence of appearance and orientation of cleavage planes during embryo cleavage from 2 to 4 blastomeres. Each variant of cleavage shows a strong correlation with further developmental dynamics of the embryos (different cleavage cycle characteristics as well as lengths of blastomere cycles). An analysis of the sequence of human blastomere divisions allowed us to postulate that the effects of zygotic determinants are eliminated as a result of cleavage, and that, thereafter, blastomeres acquire the ability of own syntheses, regulation, polarization, formation of functional contacts, and, finally, of specific differentiation. This data on the early development of human embryos obtained using noninvasive methods complements and extend our understanding of the embryogenesis of eutherian mammals and may be applied in the practice of reproductive technologies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 204-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyson Wilson ◽  
Stanley Serafin ◽  
Dilan Seckiner ◽  
Rachel Berry ◽  
Xanthé Mallett

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 103363
Author(s):  
Ben Roche ◽  
Jonathan M. Bull ◽  
Hector Marin-Moreno ◽  
Timothy G. Leighton ◽  
Ismael H. Falcon-Suarez ◽  
...  

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Joly-Tonetti ◽  
Thomas Ondet ◽  
Mario Monshouwer ◽  
Georgios N. Stamatas

Abstract Background Cutaneous adverse drug reactions (CADR) associated with oncology therapy involve 45–100% of patients receiving kinase inhibitors. Such adverse reactions may include skin inflammation, infection, pruritus and dryness, symptoms that can significantly affect the patient’s quality of life. To prevent severe skin damages dose adjustment or drug discontinuation is often required, interfering with the prescribed oncology treatment protocol. This is particularly the case of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor inhibitors (EGFRi) targeting carcinomas. Since the EGFR pathway is pivotal for epidermal keratinocytes, it is reasonable to hypothesize that EGFRi also affect these cells and therefore interfere with the epidermal structure formation and skin barrier function. Methods To test this hypothesis, the effects of EGFRi and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor inhibitors (VEGFRi) at therapeutically relevant concentrations (3, 10, 30, 100 nM) were assessed on proliferation and differentiation markers of human keratinocytes in a novel 3D micro-epidermis tissue culture model. Results EGFRi directly affect basal keratinocyte growth, leading to tissue size reduction and switching keratinocytes from a proliferative to a differentiative phenotype, as evidenced by decreased Ki67 staining and increased filaggrin, desmoglein-1 and involucrin expression compared to control. These effects lead to skin barrier impairment, which can be observed in a reconstructed human epidermis model showing a decrease in trans-epidermal water loss rates. On the other hand, pan-kinase inhibitors mainly targeting VEGFR barely affect keratinocyte differentiation and rather promote a proliferative phenotype. Conclusions This study contributes to the mechanistic understanding of the clinically observed CADR during therapy with EGFRi. These in vitro results suggest a specific mode of action of EGFRi by directly affecting keratinocyte growth and barrier function.


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