Inhibition of gap junctional intercellular communication in rat liver epithelial cells with transforming RNA

Previous studies indicated that transforming RNA, derived from the 3' half of the U5 small nuclear RNA first stem structure, suppressed the secretory protein translation in vitro. Gap junctions facilitate homeostatic control of cell growth and differentiation and their dysfunction has been correlate d with carcinogenesis. Here, we reported that transforming RNA directly sup pressed the gap junction protein, connexin 43, translation and thereby inhi bited functional gap junction function in rat epithelial cells. Together wi th previous data, this implies that altered expression of transforming RNA itself is a potential mechanism in inhibiting gap junction function during carcinogenesis. (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Publ ished by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.