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Kneitz H, Frings V, Kircher S, Goebeler M. Expression of Connexin 43 in Granular Cell Tumors of the Skin, Tongue and Esophagus. Dermatopathology (Basel) 2023; 10:184-192. [PMID: 37366801 DOI: 10.3390/dermatopathology10020026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Granular cell tumors (GCT) are rare neoplasms of Schwann cell origin occurring in the skin and in other organs. The etiopathogenesis of GCT is yet poorly understood. Connexin 43 (Cx43) is the most broadly expressed gap junction protein in humans, the tumoral role of which has been investigated in several types of tumors. Its role in GCT of the skin, oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract is as yet unknown. METHODS Herein, we present a study on the immunohistochemical expression of Cx43 in GCT of the skin (n = 15), tongue (n = 4) and esophagus (n = 3). Immunolabeling was scored positive (weak (+), moderate (++) or strong (+++)). RESULTS Cx43 was expressed by all cases of GCT of the skin, tongue and esophagus (22/22), showing moderate to strong staining. All tissue sections of GCT were characterized by a diffuse, cytoplasmic staining pattern of the tumor cells. None of those showed membranous or nuclear staining. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that Cx43 probably plays an important role in the development of this rare tumor entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermann Kneitz
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Verena Frings
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Kircher
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Goebeler
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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Falleni A, Moscato S, Fulvio G, Polizzi E, Bernardeschi M, Bianchi F, Donati V, Cabiati M, Ippolito C, Del Ry S, Baldini C, Mattii L. Connexin Expression in Human Minor Salivary Glands: An Immunohistochemical Microscopy Study. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27185926. [PMID: 36144660 PMCID: PMC9505306 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexins (Cxs) are transmembrane proteins involved in the formation of hemichannels and gap junctions (GJs). GJs are involved in various physiological functions, including secretion in glandular tissue. It has been demonstrated that Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 are mainly expressed in glands, but no data are available in human salivary glands to date. The aim of our study was to investigate the presence and the localization of Cxs in human minor labial salivary glands. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy were employed to evaluate the Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 protein in human labial salivary gland biopsies (hLSGBs). RT-PCR was also used to detect their mRNA expression. Cx expression was found at both the mRNA and protein levels in all hLSGBs analysed. Cxs were observed at the level of the duct and acinar cells, as well as in myoepithelial cells. The localization of the three Cx types was very similar, suggesting colocalization of these Cxs in the same connexons. These results demonstrated the presence of Cxs in human salivary glands for the first time. Moreover, the few samples with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome analysed only by immunofluorescence showed an alteration of the Cx expression, indicating that these proteins could be involved in salivary gland dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Falleni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (L.M.); Tel.: +39-050-221-9106 (A.F.); +39-050-221-8615 (L.M.)
| | - Stefania Moscato
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Fulvio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Enza Polizzi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Bianchi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Valentina Donati
- Pathological Anatomy Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Manuela Cabiati
- Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), National Research Council (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Ippolito
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Del Ry
- Institute of Clinical Physiology (IFC), National Research Council (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Chiara Baldini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Letizia Mattii
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.F.); (L.M.); Tel.: +39-050-221-9106 (A.F.); +39-050-221-8615 (L.M.)
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Savic I, Milovanovic P, Opric S, Ivanovic N, Oprić D. Expression of connexin-43 in surgical resections of primary tumor and lymph node metastases of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung: a retrospective study. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13055. [PMID: 35287344 PMCID: PMC8917803 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Connexins are transmembrane proteins forming gap junctions between the cells, which allow intercellular communication. Significance of gap junctions and connexins in lung carcinoma is not yet understood. The objective of the study was to investigate immunohistochemical expression and the localization of connexin-43 (Cx43) in primary lung carcinoma and its lymphatic metastases. Methods Surgical specimens of excised tumors from 88 patients (45 men and 43 women, 61.9 ± 7.4 years) with lung carcinoma (52 adenocarcinoma (AC), 36 squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC)) who were operated on at the University Hospital "Bezanijska Kosa" in a five-year period (2012-2016) were used. We conducted immunohistochemical staining for Cx43 and measured the degree of expression (percentage of positive cells and staining intensity) as well as localization of Cx43 in primary tumor and in lymphatic metastases. Results Immunohistochemical analysis of the primary tumors revealed that SqCC showed significantly higher percentage of tumor cells expressing Cx43 as well as higher staining intensity than AC (p < 0.001). Almost 70% of samples with SqCC showed high Cx43 expression, whereas AC showed no expression in more than 50% of cases. Localization of Cx43 expression was most often cytoplasmic (AC and SqCC) and combined membranous and cytoplasmic (SqCC) with very rare instances of nuclear localization (AC). Almost the same pattern in distribution, intensity, and localization of Cx43 expression was observed in the lymph node metastases; however, almost a third of AC cases changed the pattern of Cx43 expression in the metastasis compared to primary tumor. Conclusion The results of this study showed that lung carcinomas express Cx43 in more than 65% of cases and that it was aberrantly localized (not membranous localization). We highlighted that SqCC expressed Cx43 more than did AC, both in primary tumor and lymphatic metastases. Further research is needed to establish whether Cx43 could be used as a prognostic biomarker in lung carcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Savic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | | | | | - Dejan Oprić
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Luetić M, Kretzschmar G, Grobe M, Jerčić L, Bota I, Ivić V, Balog M, Zjalić M, Vitlov Uljević M, Heffer M, Gaspar R, Tabi T, Vukojević K, Vari SG, Filipović N. Sex-specific effects of metformin and liraglutide on renal pathology and expression of connexin 45 and pannexin 1 following long-term high-fat high-sugar diet. Acta Histochem 2021; 123:151817. [PMID: 34808525 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The comparative effects of the two commonly used antidiabetic drugs metformin and liraglutide on renal pathology and expression of connexin 45 (Cx45) and pannexin 1 (Panx1) in adult obese rats fed high-fat high-sugar diet (HFHSD) were studied. Considering recent data on the profound influence of sex on metformin and liraglutide effects, we compared the effects of both drugs between male and female animals. 44-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 4 groups that were fed: standard diet, HFHSD, HFHSD treated with metformin (s.c., 50 mg/kg/day) and HFHSD treated with liraglutide (s.c., 0.3 mg/kg/day). Treatment with metformin or liraglutide lasted for 14 weeks. Histology and immunohistochemistry were performed to quantify renal pathological changes and Cx45 and Panx1 expression. HFHSD caused thickening of the Bowman's capsule (BC). Both metformin and liraglutide failed to ameliorate the BC thickening; metformin even worsened it. Effects on the tubulointerstitial fibrosis score, BC thickness and Cx45 and Panx1 expression were sex-dependent. We found a 50% increase in mitochondria in proximal tubules of metformin- and liraglutide-treated HFHSD-fed rats, but these effects were not dependent on the sex. This is a first study showing that the effects of metformin and liraglutide on kidney pathology in rats fed HFHSD are mostly sex-dependent and that these effects are not necessarily beneficial. Both drugs changed the Cx45 and Panx 1 expression; hence their effects could be related to amelioration of disruptions in intercellular communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Luetić
- Department of Pathology, Forensic Medicine and Cytology, University Hospital Centre Split, Spinčićeva 1, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Genia Kretzschmar
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Maximilian Grobe
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Leo Jerčić
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Ivana Bota
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Vedrana Ivić
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 10/E, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Marta Balog
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 10/E, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Milorad Zjalić
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 10/E, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Marija Vitlov Uljević
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Marija Heffer
- Faculty of Medicine Osijek Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 10/E, Osijek 31000, Croatia
| | - Robert Gaspar
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Interdisciplinary Excellence Centre, University of Szeged, Dóm tér. 12., H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Tamas Tabi
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katarina Vukojević
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia; University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Early Human Development, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia
| | - Sandor G Vari
- International Research and Innovation in Medicine Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Natalija Filipović
- University of Split School of Medicine, Laboratory for Neurocardiology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Šoltanska 2, Split 21000, Croatia.
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Cooreman A, Van Campenhout R, Crespo Yanguas S, Gijbels E, Leroy K, Pieters A, Tabernilla A, Van Brantegem P, Annaert P, Cogliati B, Vinken M. Cholestasis Differentially Affects Liver Connexins. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6534. [PMID: 32906817 PMCID: PMC7116118 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexins are goal keepers of tissue homeostasis, including in the liver. As a result, they are frequently involved in disease. The current study was set up to investigate the effects of cholestatic disease on the production of connexin26, connexin32 and connexin43 in the liver. For this purpose, bile duct ligation, a well-known trigger of cholestatic liver injury, was applied to mice. In parallel, human hepatoma HepaRG cell cultures were exposed to cholestatic drugs and bile acids. Samples from both the in vivo and in vitro settings were subsequently subjected to assessment of mRNA and protein quantities as well as to in situ immunostaining. While the outcome of cholestasis on connexin26 and connexin43 varied among experimental settings, a more generalized repressing effect was seen for connexin32. This has also been observed in many other liver pathologies and could suggest a role for connexin32 as a robust biomarker of liver disease and toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axelle Cooreman
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Raf Van Campenhout
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Sara Crespo Yanguas
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Eva Gijbels
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Kaat Leroy
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Alanah Pieters
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Andrés Tabernilla
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
| | - Pieter Van Brantegem
- Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (P.V.B.); (P.A.)
| | - Pieter Annaert
- Drug Delivery and Disposition, KU Leuven Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (P.V.B.); (P.A.)
| | - Bruno Cogliati
- Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil;
| | - Mathieu Vinken
- Department of In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-Cosmetology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium; (A.C.); (R.V.C.); (S.C.Y.); (E.G.); (K.L.); (A.P.); (A.T.)
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