Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonist Blocks the Expression of Connexin43 Induced by Cyclical Mechanical Stretch in Cultured Neonatal Rat Cardiac Myocytes

Mechanical forces have profound effects on cardiomyocytes. To test whether angiotensin II is a potential mediator of stretch-induced effects on gap junctions, we used the angiotensin II (AT1) receptor antagonist, losartan, to investigate the cyclical stretch-induced expression of connexin43 (Cx43),...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology 2001-04, Vol.33 (4), p.691-698
Main Authors: Shyu, Kou-Gi, Chen, Chia-Chi, Wang, Bao-Wei, Kuan, Peiliang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Angiotensin II
Angiotensin II - metabolism
Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists
Animals
Antagonist
Cardiomyocytes
Cells, Cultured
Connexin 43 - biosynthesis
Connexin 43 - genetics
Connexin43
Gap junctions
Gene Expression - drug effects
Heart
Heart Ventricles - cytology
Heart Ventricles - metabolism
Losartan - pharmacology
Physical Stimulation
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2
Receptors, Angiotensin - metabolism
RNA, Messenger
Signal Transduction - physiology
Stretch
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Summary:Mechanical forces have profound effects on cardiomyocytes. To test whether angiotensin II is a potential mediator of stretch-induced effects on gap junctions, we used the angiotensin II (AT1) receptor antagonist, losartan, to investigate the cyclical stretch-induced expression of connexin43 (Cx43), the major cardiac muscle gap junction channel protein. Cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes grown on a flexible membrane base were stretched by vacuum to 20% of maximum elongation, at 60 cycles/min. The levels of Cx43 protein began to increase as early as 2 h after stretch was applied, reached a maximum of six-fold over the control by 24 h and remained at this level another 24 h (i.e. up to 48 h after stretch was applied). These increases of Cx43 protein at 24 h were largely (73%) and completely (100%) attenuated (P
ISSN:0022-2828
1095-8584
DOI:10.1006/jmcc.2000.1333