TY - JOUR
T1 - Connexin43 Interacts with NOV: A Possible Mechanism for Negative Regulation of Cell Growth in Choriocarcinoma Cells
AU - Gellhaus, A.
AU - Dong, X.
AU - Propson, S.
AU - Maass, K.
AU - Klein-Hitpass, L.
AU - Kibschull, M.
AU - Traub, O.
AU - Willecke, K.
AU - Perbal, B.
AU - Lye, Stephen
AU - Winterhager, E.
PY - 2004
Y1 - 2004
N2 - The gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) is thought to be involved in growth control in several tissues. Using the doxycycline inducible tet-on system, we generated human malignant trophoblast Jeg3 cells transfected with either Cx40, Cx43, or C-terminal truncated Cx43 (trCx43). Cx43, but not Cx40 or trCx43, displayed a reduced cell growth of Jeg3 cells in vitro and tumor growth in nude mice, suggesting a role of the C terminus of Cx43 in growth regulation. Using gene array analysis, the growth regulator NOV (CCN3), a member of the CCN gene family, was found to be up-regulated only in the Cx43-transfected cells. Validation by reverse transcriptase-PCR confirmed an up-regulation of the NOV transcript exclusively upon Cx43 induction. In contrast to Cx40 or trCx43, induction of Cx43 led to a switch in localization of NOV from the nucleus to the cell membrane, where it is colocalized with Cx43. Coimmunoprecipitation showed a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43 in vitro as well as in transfected cells. Jeg3 cells transfected only with NOV revealed that NOV itself acts as a growth regulator. We suggest that Cx43 is able to regulate cell growth via an up-regulation of NOV transcription, a change in localization of the NOV protein and a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43.
AB - The gap junction protein connexin43 (Cx43) is thought to be involved in growth control in several tissues. Using the doxycycline inducible tet-on system, we generated human malignant trophoblast Jeg3 cells transfected with either Cx40, Cx43, or C-terminal truncated Cx43 (trCx43). Cx43, but not Cx40 or trCx43, displayed a reduced cell growth of Jeg3 cells in vitro and tumor growth in nude mice, suggesting a role of the C terminus of Cx43 in growth regulation. Using gene array analysis, the growth regulator NOV (CCN3), a member of the CCN gene family, was found to be up-regulated only in the Cx43-transfected cells. Validation by reverse transcriptase-PCR confirmed an up-regulation of the NOV transcript exclusively upon Cx43 induction. In contrast to Cx40 or trCx43, induction of Cx43 led to a switch in localization of NOV from the nucleus to the cell membrane, where it is colocalized with Cx43. Coimmunoprecipitation showed a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43 in vitro as well as in transfected cells. Jeg3 cells transfected only with NOV revealed that NOV itself acts as a growth regulator. We suggest that Cx43 is able to regulate cell growth via an up-regulation of NOV transcription, a change in localization of the NOV protein and a binding of NOV to the C terminus of Cx43.
U2 - 10.1074/jbc.M404073200
DO - 10.1074/jbc.M404073200
M3 - Article
C2 - 15181016
SN - 0021-9258
VL - 279
SP - 36931
EP - 36942
JO - The Journal of Biological Chemistry
JF - The Journal of Biological Chemistry
IS - 35
ER -