Effects of retinoic acid on function of gap junction and Cx43 expression in cultured human retinal p

ObjectiveThe gap junction protein-Connexin43 (Cx43 ) is the most extensively expressed junction protein in a lot of organizations.Cx43 has important regulation on cell growth.The purpose of this article was to investigate the effects of retinoic acid(RA) on cell growth,function of gap junction and connexin43(Cx43) expression in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells.MethodsImmunohistochemistry methods was performed to investigate the distribution of Cx43 protein on cultured human RPE cell.MTT was used to observe the effects of different concentration of retinoic acid(RA) (10 -5 ,10 -6 ,10 -7 mol/L) on cell growth.The function of the cell gap junction of human RPE cells was determined by LY method and its change induced by various concentration RA was observed.The gray degree values at different concentration group were measured and analyzed.ResultsImmunohistochemistry revealed that cultured human RPE cell expressed protein Cx43 in cell membrane and cytoplasm (yellow).The gray degree of each group are notable discrepancy among three groups(F= 1155.07 ,P= 0.0000 ).RA suppressed the growth of human RPE cell obviously at a dose-dependent manner.The cell inhibitory rate was 62.29±6.31%,21.43±0.71%,10.89±0.13% in 10 -5 ,10 -6 ,10 -7 mol/L of RA respectively with the notable differences among three groups(F=692.89,P= 0.0000 ).LY test indicated that RA increased the intercellular communication and expression of Cx43 protein on human RPE cells at a dose-dependent manner,and the LY cell number was 6.8±0.69,6.7±0.86,6.1±0.85 in the RA concentration above mentioned,but the control group was 5.1±0.76,showing a statistical difference among groups (F=26.33,P= 0.0000 ).ConclusionCultured human RPE cells express Cx43 protein.RA can elevate the function of intercellular communication and expression of Cx43.