Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury

Connexin (Cx) family members form hemichannels (HCs) and gap junctions (GJs). Biological functions of Cx HCs have not been adequately characterized due to the inability to selectively target HCs or GJs. Recently, we developed a 6-mer peptide mimetic (P5) of the first extracellular loop of Cx43 and s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shuaiwei Wang, Yafang Sun, Yu Bai, Nannan Zhou, Na Chen, Edmund J. Miller, Yijie Zhang, Wei Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-01-01
Series:Mediators of Inflammation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8094347
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849694066390859776
author Shuaiwei Wang
Yafang Sun
Yu Bai
Nannan Zhou
Na Chen
Edmund J. Miller
Yijie Zhang
Wei Li
author_facet Shuaiwei Wang
Yafang Sun
Yu Bai
Nannan Zhou
Na Chen
Edmund J. Miller
Yijie Zhang
Wei Li
author_sort Shuaiwei Wang
collection DOAJ
description Connexin (Cx) family members form hemichannels (HCs) and gap junctions (GJs). Biological functions of Cx HCs have not been adequately characterized due to the inability to selectively target HCs or GJs. Recently, we developed a 6-mer peptide mimetic (P5) of the first extracellular loop of Cx43 and showed that it can block the permeability of HCs but not GJs formed by Cx43. In this study, we further characterized the HC blocking property of P5 and investigated the role of Cx HCs in acute lung injury (ALI). We found that P5 administration decreased HC permeability, in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, HepG2 cells, and even Cx43-deficient astrocytes, which express different sets of Cxs, suggesting that P5 is a broad spectrum Cx HC blocker. In addition, P5 reduced HC permeability of alveolar cells in vivo. Moreover, P5 decreased endotoxin-induced release, by vascular endothelial cells in vitro, of high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), a critical mediator of acute lung injury (ALI), and reduced HMGB1 accumulation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice subjected to intratracheal endotoxin instillation. Furthermore, P5 administration resulted in a significant decrease in the concentrations of ALT, AST, and LDH in the BALF, the accumulation of leukocytes in alveoli, and the mortality rate of mice subjected to ALI. Wright-Giemsa staining showed that P5 caused similar reductions of both neutrophils and monocytes in BALF of ALI mice. Together, these results suggest that Cx HCs mediate HMGB1 release, augment leukocyte recruitment, and contribute to ALI pathology.
format Article
id doaj-art-4bda57578eab461394de515362479322
institution DOAJ
issn 0962-9351
1466-1861
language English
publishDate 2020-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Mediators of Inflammation
spelling doaj-art-4bda57578eab461394de5153624793222025-08-20T03:20:13ZengWileyMediators of Inflammation0962-93511466-18612020-01-01202010.1155/2020/80943478094347Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung InjuryShuaiwei Wang0Yafang Sun1Yu Bai2Nannan Zhou3Na Chen4Edmund J. Miller5Yijie Zhang6Wei Li7Sepsis Laboratory, Center for Translational Medicine, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaSepsis Laboratory, Center for Translational Medicine, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaSepsis Laboratory, Center for Translational Medicine, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaInternational Laboratory for Sepsis Research, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaInternational Laboratory for Sepsis Research, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaRDS2 Solutions, 25 Health Sciences Drive, Suite 208-B, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USASepsis Laboratory, Center for Translational Medicine, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaSepsis Laboratory, Center for Translational Medicine, Huaihe Hospital, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, ChinaConnexin (Cx) family members form hemichannels (HCs) and gap junctions (GJs). Biological functions of Cx HCs have not been adequately characterized due to the inability to selectively target HCs or GJs. Recently, we developed a 6-mer peptide mimetic (P5) of the first extracellular loop of Cx43 and showed that it can block the permeability of HCs but not GJs formed by Cx43. In this study, we further characterized the HC blocking property of P5 and investigated the role of Cx HCs in acute lung injury (ALI). We found that P5 administration decreased HC permeability, in pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells, HepG2 cells, and even Cx43-deficient astrocytes, which express different sets of Cxs, suggesting that P5 is a broad spectrum Cx HC blocker. In addition, P5 reduced HC permeability of alveolar cells in vivo. Moreover, P5 decreased endotoxin-induced release, by vascular endothelial cells in vitro, of high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1), a critical mediator of acute lung injury (ALI), and reduced HMGB1 accumulation in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of mice subjected to intratracheal endotoxin instillation. Furthermore, P5 administration resulted in a significant decrease in the concentrations of ALT, AST, and LDH in the BALF, the accumulation of leukocytes in alveoli, and the mortality rate of mice subjected to ALI. Wright-Giemsa staining showed that P5 caused similar reductions of both neutrophils and monocytes in BALF of ALI mice. Together, these results suggest that Cx HCs mediate HMGB1 release, augment leukocyte recruitment, and contribute to ALI pathology.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8094347
spellingShingle Shuaiwei Wang
Yafang Sun
Yu Bai
Nannan Zhou
Na Chen
Edmund J. Miller
Yijie Zhang
Wei Li
Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
Mediators of Inflammation
title Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
title_full Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
title_fullStr Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
title_full_unstemmed Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
title_short Contribution of Connexin Hemichannels to the Pathogenesis of Acute Lung Injury
title_sort contribution of connexin hemichannels to the pathogenesis of acute lung injury
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/8094347
work_keys_str_mv AT shuaiweiwang contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT yafangsun contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT yubai contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT nannanzhou contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT nachen contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT edmundjmiller contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT yijiezhang contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury
AT weili contributionofconnexinhemichannelstothepathogenesisofacutelunginjury