Skip Navigation

Cardiovascular Research 2000 47(1):108-115; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(00)00051-1
© 2000 by European Society of Cardiology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Saitongdee, P.
Right arrow Articles by Burnstock, G.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Saitongdee, P.
Right arrow Articles by Burnstock, G.
Social Bookmarking
 Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Copyright © 2000, European Society of Cardiology

Increased connexin43 gap junction protein in hamster cardiomyocytes during cold acclimatization and hibernation

Porncharn Saitongdeea, Pamela Milnerb, David L Beckera, Gillian E Knightb and Geoffrey Burnstockb,*

aDepartment of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
bAutonomic Neuroscience Institute, Royal Free and University College Medical School, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, UK

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44-20-7830-2948; fax: +44-20-7830-2949 g.burnstock{at}ucl.ac.uk

Objective: The physiology of hibernation is characterized by dramatic reductions of heart rate, respiration, metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature and by resistance to ventricular fibrillation. Gap junctions in the heart provide low resistance pathways, facilitating electrical and metabolic coupling between cardiac muscle cells for coordinated action of the heart and tissue homeostasis. The conductance of these junctions, and therefore their function, is likely to be affected by the physiological changes that take place during hibernation. Our objective was to quantitate gap junction protein levels in cold acclimatization, hibernation and arousal. Methods: We have used specific antibodies to connexins 43 and 40, in combination with confocal microscopy, to quantitatively analyze the expression of connexin protein in hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) left ventricles in four animal groups: normal controls at euthermy, cold controls (cold-exposed animals that did not undergo hibernation), hibernating animals and animals aroused from hibernation for 2 h. Results: Connexin40 immunostaining was not detected in ventricular cardiomyocytes in any animal group but connexin43 was found in all groups. Connexin43 expression was significantly enhanced in hibernation and cold control ventricular cardiomyocytes. Total plaque area, numerical density and plaque size were higher in the cold controls and hibernating hamsters compared to normal controls and animals aroused from hibernation. Conclusion: It is possible that the increased size and number of connexin43 gap junction plaques in the cold controls may represent a compensatory response in order to maintain sufficient gap junction communication during physiological conditions that would reduce conductance. These changes may represent a mechanism by which the hamster avoids ventricular fibrillation during hibernation and arousal.

KEYWORDS Hibernation; Gap junction


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
S. Miyazawa, Y. Shimizu, T. Shiina, H. Hirayama, H. Morita, and T. Takewaki
Central A1-receptor activation associated with onset of torpor protects the heart against low temperature in the Syrian hamster
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, September 1, 2008; 295(3): R991 - R996.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol.Home page
A. Mertens, O. Stiedl, S. Steinlechner, and M. Meyer
Cardiac dynamics during daily torpor in the Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus)
Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, February 1, 2008; 294(2): R639 - R650.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Physiol. GenomicsHome page
F. I. J. Crawford, C. L. Hodgkinson, E. Ivanova, L. B. Logunova, G. J. Evans, S. Steinlechner, and A. S. I. Loudon
Influence of torpor on cardiac expression of genes involved in the circadian clock and protein turnover in the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus)
Physiol Genomics, November 14, 2007; 31(3): 521 - 530.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
DiabetesHome page
C. M. Wang, J. Lincoln, J. E. Cook, and D. L. Becker
Abnormal Connexin Expression Underlies Delayed Wound Healing in Diabetic Skin
Diabetes, November 1, 2007; 56(11): 2809 - 2817.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Physiol. GenomicsHome page
J. Yan, A. Burman, C. Nichols, L. Alila, L. C. Showe, M. K. Showe, B. B. Boyer, B. M. Barnes, and T. G. Marr
Detection of differential gene expression in brown adipose tissue of hibernating arctic ground squirrels with mouse microarrays
Physiol Genomics, April 13, 2006; 25(2): 346 - 353.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Biol. CellHome page
J. K. VanSlyke and L. S. Musil
Cytosolic Stress Reduces Degradation of Connexin43 Internalized from the Cell Surface and Enhances Gap Junction Formation and Function
Mol. Biol. Cell, November 1, 2005; 16(11): 5247 - 5257.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
K. W. Hewett, L. W. Norman, D. Sedmera, R. J. Barker, C. Justus, J. Zhang, S. W. Kubalak, and R. G. Gourdie
Knockout of the neural and heart expressed gene HF-1b results in apical deficits of ventricular structure and activation
Cardiovasc Res, August 15, 2005; 67(3): 548 - 560.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Histochem. Cytochem.Home page
P. Saitongdee, D. L. Becker, P. Milner, G. E. Knight, and G. Burnstock
Levels of Gap Junction Proteins in Coronary Arterioles and Aorta of Hamsters Exposed to the Cold and During Hibernation and Arousal
J. Histochem. Cytochem., May 1, 2004; 52(5): 603 - 616.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Physiol. Rev.Home page
H. V. CAREY, M. T. ANDREWS, and S. L. MARTIN
Mammalian Hibernation: Cellular and Molecular Responses to Depressed Metabolism and Low Temperature
Physiol Rev, October 1, 2003; 83(4): 1153 - 1181.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CirculationHome page
L. B. Becker, M. L. Weisfeldt, M. H. Weil, T. Budinger, J. Carrico, K. Kern, G. Nichol, I. Shechter, R. Traystman, C. Webb, et al.
The PULSE Initiative: Scientific Priorities and Strategic Planning for Resuscitation Research and Life Saving Therapies
Circulation, May 28, 2002; 105(21): 2562 - 2570.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cardiovasc ResHome page
T. Opthof and M. B Rook
The hibernators heart: Nature's response to arrhythmogenesis?
Cardiovasc Res, July 1, 2000; 47(1): 6 - 8.
[Full Text] [PDF]



Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.