Dephosphorylation agents depress gap junctional communication between rat cardiac cells without modifying the Connexin43 phosphorylation degree.

The functional state of gap junctional channels and the phosphorylation status of Connexine43 (Cx43), the major gap junctional protein in rat heart, were evaluated in primary cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. H7, able to inhibit a range of serine/threonine protein kinases, progressively reduced gap junctional conductance to approximately 13% of its initial value within 10 min except when protein phosphatase inhibitors were also present. The dephosphorylating agent 2,3-Butanedione monoxime (BDM) produced both a quick and reversible interruption of cell-to-cell communication as well as a parallel slow inhibition of junctional currents. The introduction of a non-hydrolysable ATP analogue (ATPgammaS) in the cytosol delayed the second component, suggesting that it was the consequence of protein dephosphorylation. Western blot analysis reveals 2 forms of Cx43 with different electrophoretic mobilities which correspond to its known phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms. After exposure of the cells to H7 (1 mmol/l, 1h) or BDM (15 mmol/l, 15 min), no modification in the level of Cx43 phosphorylation was observed. The lack of direct correlation between the inhibition of cell-to-cell communication and changes in the phosphorylation status of Cx43 suggest that the functional state of junctional channels might rather be determined by regulatory proteins associated to Cx43.