Kunzelmann P, Schröder W, Traub O, Steinhäuser C, Dermietzel R, Willecke K
Institut für Genetik, Abteilung Molekulargenetik, Universität Bonn, Germany.
Glia. 1999 Jan 15;25(2):111-9. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1098-1136(19990115)25:2<111::aid-glia2>3.0.co;2-i.
In rat brain, expression of the gap junction protein connexin30 increased during the first 3 weeks after birth and reached its maximum after 4 weeks, as shown by analysis with specific connexin30 antibodies. This contrasts with the prenatal onset of connexin43 expression. On cryosections of rat brain, connexin30 immunoreactivity was found near blood vessels and in ependymal as well as in leptomeningeal cells. Expression in the neuropil was first noticed 3 weeks after birth, showing the same spatial pattern of immunoreactivity as connexin43. This late onset of connexin30 expression in astrocytes was also seen in long-term glial cell cultures, where connexin30 was coexpressed with the astrocytic marker proteins S-100beta and glial fibrillary acid protein. In acute brain slices, connexin30 immunofluorescent signals were detected on processes of functionally identified astrocytes. Thus, our results show that connexin30 is expressed in three different cell types of the rodent brain. The late onset of connexin30 expression in astrocytes suggests that this gap junctional protein fulfills a role in intercellular communication among mature astrocytes.
在大鼠脑中，缝隙连接蛋白连接蛋白30的表达在出生后的前3周增加，并在4周后达到最大值，这通过使用特异性连接蛋白30抗体进行分析得以显示。这与连接蛋白43在产前就开始表达形成对比。在大鼠脑的冷冻切片上，连接蛋白30免疫反应性在血管附近、室管膜以及软脑膜细胞中被发现。出生3周后首次在神经毡中观察到表达，其免疫反应性的空间模式与连接蛋白43相同。在长期的胶质细胞培养物中也观察到星形胶质细胞中连接蛋白30的这种延迟表达，在那里连接蛋白30与星形胶质细胞标记蛋白S-100β和胶质纤维酸性蛋白共表达。在急性脑切片中，在功能鉴定的星形胶质细胞的突起上检测到连接蛋白30免疫荧光信号。因此，我们的结果表明连接蛋白30在啮齿动物脑的三种不同细胞类型中表达。星形胶质细胞中连接蛋白30表达的延迟表明这种缝隙连接蛋白在成熟星形胶质细胞间的细胞间通讯中发挥作用。
