Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes

Cadmium (Cd) is a significant environmental contaminant known for its potential hepatotoxic effects. However, the precise mechanisms underlying Cd-induced hepatotoxicity have yet to be fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic role of connexin 43 (Cx43) in...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yuntian Duan, Yi Zhang, Tao Wang, Jian Sun, Waseem Ali, Yonggang Ma, Yan Yuan, Jianhong Gu, Jianchun Bian, Zongping Liu, Hui Zou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-10-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023082609
_version_ 1797646472267694080
author Yuntian Duan
Yi Zhang
Tao Wang
Jian Sun
Waseem Ali
Yonggang Ma
Yan Yuan
Jianhong Gu
Jianchun Bian
Zongping Liu
Hui Zou
author_facet Yuntian Duan
Yi Zhang
Tao Wang
Jian Sun
Waseem Ali
Yonggang Ma
Yan Yuan
Jianhong Gu
Jianchun Bian
Zongping Liu
Hui Zou
author_sort Yuntian Duan
collection DOAJ
description Cadmium (Cd) is a significant environmental contaminant known for its potential hepatotoxic effects. However, the precise mechanisms underlying Cd-induced hepatotoxicity have yet to be fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic role of connexin 43 (Cx43) in response to Cd exposure, particularly its impact on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and autophagy in hepatocytes. To establish an in vitro model of Cd-induced hepatocyte injury, the Buffalo rat liver 3A cell line (BRL3A) was utilized.In order to elucidate the mechanism by which Cx43 influences Cd-induced hepatocyte toxic injury, inhibitors of Cx43 (Dynasore) and P-Cx43 (Ro318220) were employed in the model. The findings revealed that inhibiting Cx43 and its phosphorylation further compromised GJIC function, exacerbating the impairment, while also intensifying the blockage of autophagic flux. To gain further insight into the role of Cx43, siRNA was utilized to knock down Cx43 expression, yielding similar results. The down-regulation of Cx43 expression was found to worsen the morphological damage induced by cadmium exposure, diminish the cell proliferation capacity of BRL3A cells, and exacerbate the disruption of GJIC and autophagic flow caused by Cd.These findings suggest that Cx43 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of liver damage resulting from Cd exposure. By targeting Cx43, it may be possible to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd on hepatocytes.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T15:02:06Z
format Article
id doaj.art-bd1af2835c9843318cce7a71f0c00b72
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2405-8440
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T15:02:06Z
publishDate 2023-10-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Heliyon
spelling doaj.art-bd1af2835c9843318cce7a71f0c00b722023-10-30T06:08:13ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-10-01910e21052Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytesYuntian Duan0Yi Zhang1Tao Wang2Jian Sun3Waseem Ali4Yonggang Ma5Yan Yuan6Jianhong Gu7Jianchun Bian8Zongping Liu9Hui Zou10College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri−Product Safety of the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co−Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou 225009, China; Corresponding author. College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.Cadmium (Cd) is a significant environmental contaminant known for its potential hepatotoxic effects. However, the precise mechanisms underlying Cd-induced hepatotoxicity have yet to be fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic role of connexin 43 (Cx43) in response to Cd exposure, particularly its impact on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and autophagy in hepatocytes. To establish an in vitro model of Cd-induced hepatocyte injury, the Buffalo rat liver 3A cell line (BRL3A) was utilized.In order to elucidate the mechanism by which Cx43 influences Cd-induced hepatocyte toxic injury, inhibitors of Cx43 (Dynasore) and P-Cx43 (Ro318220) were employed in the model. The findings revealed that inhibiting Cx43 and its phosphorylation further compromised GJIC function, exacerbating the impairment, while also intensifying the blockage of autophagic flux. To gain further insight into the role of Cx43, siRNA was utilized to knock down Cx43 expression, yielding similar results. The down-regulation of Cx43 expression was found to worsen the morphological damage induced by cadmium exposure, diminish the cell proliferation capacity of BRL3A cells, and exacerbate the disruption of GJIC and autophagic flow caused by Cd.These findings suggest that Cx43 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of liver damage resulting from Cd exposure. By targeting Cx43, it may be possible to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd on hepatocytes.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023082609HepatocytesCadmiumConnexin 43AutophagyRat
spellingShingle Yuntian Duan
Yi Zhang
Tao Wang
Jian Sun
Waseem Ali
Yonggang Ma
Yan Yuan
Jianhong Gu
Jianchun Bian
Zongping Liu
Hui Zou
Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
Heliyon
Hepatocytes
Cadmium
Connexin 43
Autophagy
Rat
title Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
title_full Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
title_fullStr Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
title_full_unstemmed Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
title_short Interactive mechanism between connexin43 and Cd-induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
title_sort interactive mechanism between connexin43 and cd induced autophagic flux blockage and gap junctional intercellular communication dysfunction in rat hepatocytes
topic Hepatocytes
Cadmium
Connexin 43
Autophagy
Rat
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023082609
work_keys_str_mv AT yuntianduan interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT yizhang interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT taowang interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT jiansun interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT waseemali interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT yonggangma interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT yanyuan interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT jianhonggu interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT jianchunbian interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT zongpingliu interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes
AT huizou interactivemechanismbetweenconnexin43andcdinducedautophagicfluxblockageandgapjunctionalintercellularcommunicationdysfunctioninrathepatocytes