Connexon-mediated cell adhesion drives microtissue self-assembly

FASEB J. 2011 Jan;25(1):255-64. doi: 10.1096/fj.10-155291. Epub 2010 Sep 27.

Abstract

Microtissue self-assembly is thought to be driven primarily by cadherins, while connexons have been examined mainly in intercellular coupling. We investigated whether connexon 43 (Cx43)-mediated cell adhesion modulates self-assembly of human KGN granulosa cells, normal human fibroblasts (NHFs), and MCF-7 breast cancer cells seeded into nonadhesive agarose gels. We found that treatment with anti-Cx43 E2 (112 μg/ml), which suppresses Cx43 docking, significantly inhibited the kinetics of KGN and NHF self-assembly compared to the preimmune sera control (41.1 ± 4.5 and 24.5 ± 10.4% at 8 h, respectively). Likewise, gap junction inhibitor carbenoxolone also inhibited self-assembly of KGN, NHF, and MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner that was specific to cell type. In contrast, Gap26 connexin mimetic peptide, which inhibits channel permeability but not docking, accelerated self-assembly of KGN and NHF microtissues. Experiments using selective enzymatic digestion of cell adhesion molecules and neutralizing N-cadherin antibodies further showed that self-assembly was comparably disrupted by inhibiting connexin- and cadherin-mediated adhesion. These findings demonstrate that connexon-mediated cell adhesion and intercellular communication differentially influence microtissue self-assembly, and that their contributions are comparable to those of cadherins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cadherins / immunology
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Carbenoxolone / pharmacology
  • Cell Adhesion / physiology
  • Cell Aggregation / drug effects
  • Cell Aggregation / physiology
  • Cell Communication / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Connexin 43 / immunology
  • Connexin 43 / metabolism*
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism*
  • Gap Junctions / drug effects
  • Gap Junctions / metabolism*
  • Heptanol / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrogels
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Spheroids, Cellular / cytology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Cadherins
  • Connexin 43
  • Hydrogels
  • Heptanol
  • Carbenoxolone