Dynamic changes in protein interaction between AKAP95 and Cx43 during cell cycle progression of A549 cells

Here we show that A-kinase anchoring protein 95 (AKAP95) and connexin 43 (Cx43) dynamically interact during cell cycle progression of lung cancer A549 cells. Interaction between AKAP95 and Cx43 at different cell cycle phases was examined by tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS), confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation(Co-IP). Over the course of a complete cell cycle, interaction between AKAP95 and Cx43 occurred in two stages: binding stage from late G1 to metaphase, and separating stage from anaphase to late G1. The binding stage was further subdivided into complex binding to DNA in interphase and complex separating from DNA in metaphase. In late G1, Cx43 translocated to the nucleus via AKAP95; in anaphase, Cx43 separated from AKAP95 and aggregated between two daughter nuclei. In telophase, Cx43 aggregated at the membrane of the cleavage furrow. After mitosis, Cx43 was absent from the furrow membrane and was located in the cytoplasm. Binding between AKAP95 and Cx43 was reduced by N-(2-[P-Bromocinnamylamino]-ethyl)-5-isoquinolinesulfonmide (H89) treatment and enhanced by Forskolin. dynamic interaction between AKAP95 and Cx43 varies with cell cycle progression to regulate multiple biological processes.