Rouach N, Glowinski J, Giaume C
INSERM U114, Collège de France 11, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France.
J Cell Biol. 2000 Jun 26;149(7):1513-26. doi: 10.1083/jcb.149.7.1513.
A typical feature of astrocytes is their high degree of intercellular communication through gap junction channels. Using different models of astrocyte cultures and astrocyte/neuron cocultures, we have demonstrated that neurons upregulate gap-junctional communication and the expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) in astrocytes. The propagation of intercellular calcium waves triggered in astrocytes by mechanical stimulation was also increased in cocultures. This facilitation depends on the age and number of neurons, indicating that the state of neuronal differentiation and neuron density constitute two crucial factors of this interaction. The effects of neurons on astrocytic communication and Cx43 expression were reversed completely after neurotoxic treatments. Moreover, the neuronal facilitation of glial coupling was suppressed, without change in Cx43 expression, after prolonged pharmacological treatments that prevented spontaneous synaptic activity. Altogether, these results demonstrate that neurons exert multiple and differential controls on astrocytic gap-junctional communication. Since astrocytes have been shown to facilitate synaptic efficacy, our findings suggest that neuronal and astrocytic networks interact actively through mutual setting of their respective modes of communication.
星形胶质细胞的一个典型特征是它们通过缝隙连接通道进行高度的细胞间通讯。利用不同的星形胶质细胞培养模型以及星形胶质细胞/神经元共培养模型，我们已经证明神经元会上调星形胶质细胞中缝隙连接通讯以及连接蛋白43（Cx43）的表达。在共培养中，由机械刺激引发的星形胶质细胞间钙波的传播也有所增加。这种促进作用取决于神经元的年龄和数量，表明神经元分化状态和神经元密度是这种相互作用的两个关键因素。神经毒性处理后，神经元对星形胶质细胞通讯和Cx43表达的影响完全逆转。此外，在阻止自发突触活动的长期药理学处理后，神经元对胶质细胞耦合的促进作用受到抑制，而Cx43表达没有变化。总之，这些结果表明神经元对星形胶质细胞缝隙连接通讯施加多种不同的控制。由于星形胶质细胞已被证明可促进突触效能，我们的研究结果表明神经元网络和星形胶质细胞网络通过相互设定各自的通讯模式而进行积极互动。
