Ji. Nagy et al., INDUCTION OF CONNEXIN43 AND GAP JUNCTIONAL COMMUNICATION IN PC12 CELLS OVEREXPRESSING THE CARBOXY-TERMINAL REGION OF AMYLOID PRECURSOR PROTEIN, Journal of neuroscience research, 44(2), 1996, pp. 124-132
Previous studies have shown that PC12 cells overexpressing beta/A4 amy
loid peptide display altered morphology characterized by pronounced me
mbrane ruffling and extensive intercellular appositions, Having observ
ed other cell types in which these features accompany increased connex
in43 (Cx43) production and gap junctional communication, we examined C
x43 in normal and beta/A4-transfected PC12 cells, Studies of two beta/
A4-transfected PC12 clones revealed an induction of Cx43 expression by
Western blotting, intracellular and plasma membrane-associated Cx43 i
n some cells of cultures processed by immunofluorescence, dye-transfer
between some cells microinjected with Lucifer Yellow, and gap junctio
ns between cells examined by EM, Normal and vector-transfected PC12 ce
lls exhibited none of these properties. Increased immunofluorescence i
n some clusters of beta/A4-transfected cells was also observed with a
monoclonal antibody against connexin32. The results suggest that beta/
A4 amyloid peptide may cause aberrant intercellular communication and
gap junction formation through induction or increased expression of co
nnexins in cells that are not normally coupled or only poorly coupled
by gap junctions. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.