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Pannexin protein expression in the rat middle cerebral artery
Author(s) -
Chen Jie,
Burns Alan R.,
Phillips Sharon C.,
Sokoya Elke M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.1144.5
Subject(s) - pannexin , immunogold labelling , microbiology and biotechnology , gap junction , biology , endothelium , ultrastructure , immunoelectron microscopy , connexin , anatomy , immunohistochemistry , immunology , intracellular , endocrinology
Pannexins are a recently discovered family of proteins that could potentially be involved in cell‐cell communication. The expression pattern of pannexin 2 (Panx2) is thought to be predominantly confined to neuronal cell populations. In the present study, we report for the first time that pannexins are expressed in the cerebrovasculature. By using a combination of RT‐PCR, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and immunogold electron microscopy techniques, we characterized the expression pattern of pannexins in the rat middle cerebral artery (MCA). We report that pannexin 1 (Panx1) is weakly expressed in smooth muscle but not in endothelium, and that Panx2 is expressed in both endothelium and smooth muscle. The identification of pannexins in the rat MCA, indicates that pannexin expression is not limited to neuronal cell populations within the central nervous system. Ultrastructural studies using immunogold electron microscopy revealed that Panx2 is associated with both junctional (gap junctions) and nonjunctional areas of the plasma membrane. These data, suggest that Panx2 may play a role in supporting both cell‐cell coupling and hemichannel activity within the cerebrovasculature. Supported by NIH HL72954, EY017120 , and HL070537.