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Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption
09:20

Perturbing Endothelial Biomechanics via Connexin 43 Structural Disruption

Published on: October 4, 2019

Connexin 43 expression is associated with vascular activation in human radial artery

Kumiko Arishiro1, Masaaki Hoshiga1, Tadashi Ishihara1

  • 1First Department of Internal Medicine, Osaka Medical College, Takatsuki, Japan.

International Journal of Cardiology
|October 30, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Connexin 43 (Cx43) expression in human arteries, particularly muscular arteries like the radial artery, correlates with nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activation, suggesting a role in atherosclerosis development.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Molecular Medicine
  • Atherosclerosis Research

Background:

  • Gap junction protein connexin 43 (Cx43) is implicated in atherosclerosis.
  • Cx43 expression patterns in human arteries remain largely uncharacterized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate Cx43 expression in human radial arteries (RA) and internal thoracic arteries (ITAs).
  • To determine the relationship between Cx43 expression and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) activation in these arteries.

Main Methods:

  • Histological analysis of distal RA and ITA segments from 29 coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.
  • Assessment of Cx43 expression intensity and NFκB activation levels.

Main Results:

  • Medial smooth muscle cells of RA exhibited Cx43 expression.
  • RA Cx43 expression intensity positively correlated with NFκB activation.
  • No significant correlation was observed between Cx43 expression and NFκB activation in ITA.

Conclusions:

  • Cx43 expression in muscular arteries, like RA, is linked to NFκB activation.
  • Cx43 may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, particularly in muscular artery subtypes.

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