Roles of Connexins and Pannexins in (neuro)endocrine Physiology

Overview

Journal Cell Mol Life Sci

Publisher Springer

Specialty Biology

Date 2015 Jun 19

PMID 26084873

Citations 17

Authors

David J Hodson

Christian Legros

Michel G Desarmenien

Nathalie C Guerineau

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To ensure appropriate secretion in response to demand, (neuro)endocrine tissues liberate massive quantities of hormones, which act to coordinate and synchronize biological signals in distant secretory and nonsecretory cell populations. Intercellular communication plays a central role in this control. With regard to molecular identity, junctional cell-cell communication is supported by connexin-based gap junctions. In addition, connexin hemichannels, the structural precursors of gap junctions, as well as pannexin channels have recently emerged as possible modulators of the secretory process. This review focuses on the expression of connexins and pannexins in various (neuro)endocrine tissues, including the adrenal cortex and medulla, the anterior pituitary, the endocrine hypothalamus and the pineal, thyroid and parathyroid glands. Upon a physiological or pathological stimulus, junctional intercellular coupling can be acutely modulated or persistently remodeled, thus offering multiple regulatory possibilities. The functional roles of gap junction-mediated intercellular communication in endocrine physiology as well as the involvement of connexin/pannexin-related hemichannels are also discussed.

Citing Articles

Adaptive remodeling of rat adrenomedullary stimulus-secretion coupling in a chronic hypertensive environment.

Paille V, Park J, Toutain B, Bourreau J, Fontanaud P, De Nardi F Cell Mol Life Sci. 2024; 82(1):31.

PMID: 39725761 PMC: 11671677. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05524-5.

The Role of the Gap Junction Protein Connexin in Adrenal Gland Tumorigenesis.

Mizdrak M, Kurir T, Mizdrak I, Kumric M, Krnic M, Bozic J Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(10).

PMID: 38791437 PMC: 11121959. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105399.

Prenatal benzene exposure in mice alters offspring hypothalamic development predisposing to metabolic disease in later life.

Koshko L, Scofield S, Debarba L, Stilgenbauer L, Fakhoury P, Jayarathne H Chemosphere. 2023; 330:138738.

PMID: 37084897 PMC: 10199724. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138738.

Connexin Expression in Pituitary Adenomas and the Effects of Overexpression of Connexin 43 in Pituitary Tumor Cell Lines.

Nunes B, Populo H, Lopes J, Reis M, Nascimento G, Nascimento A Genes (Basel). 2022; 13(4).

PMID: 35456480 PMC: 9032236. DOI: 10.3390/genes13040674.

Intratumoural spatial distribution of S100B + folliculostellate cells is associated with proliferation and expression of FSH and ERα in gonadotroph tumours.

Ilie M, Vasiljevic A, Chanal M, Gadot N, Chinezu L, Jouanneau E Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2022; 10(1):18.

PMID: 35139928 PMC: 8827287. DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01321-y.

References

Soji T, Herbert D . Intercellular communication between rat anterior pituitary cells. Anat Rec. 1989; 224(4):523-33. DOI: 10.1002/ar.1092240410. View

Fauquier T, Lacampagne A, Travo P, Bauer K, Mollard P . Hidden face of the anterior pituitary. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2002; 13(7):304-9. DOI: 10.1016/s1043-2760(02)00616-1. View

Leng G, Brown C, Russell J . Physiological pathways regulating the activity of magnocellular neurosecretory cells. Prog Neurobiol. 1999; 57(6):625-55. DOI: 10.1016/s0301-0082(98)00072-0. View

Guerrier A, Fonlupt P, Morand I, Rabilloud R, Audebet C, Krutovskikh V . Gap junctions and cell polarity: connexin32 and connexin43 expressed in polarized thyroid epithelial cells assemble into separate gap junctions, which are located in distinct regions of the lateral plasma membrane domain. J Cell Sci. 1995; 108 ( Pt 7):2609-17. DOI: 10.1242/jcs.108.7.2609. View

Guerineau N, Bonnefont X, Stoeckel L, Mollard P . Synchronized spontaneous Ca2+ transients in acute anterior pituitary slices. J Biol Chem. 1998; 273(17):10389-95. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.17.10389. View

Nicolas G . Intercellular junctions in the adrenal medulla: a comparative freeze-fracture study. Tissue Cell. 1980; 12(4):661-72. DOI: 10.1016/0040-8166(80)90020-8. View

Potter E, Schoenermark M, Bock O, Hoang-Vu C, Rousset B, Brabant G . Cell adhesion receptors and gap junctions in normal and neoplastic transformed thyrocytes. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1996; 104 Suppl 4:24-8. DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1211695. View

Stroth N, Kuri B, Mustafa T, Chan S, Smith C, Eiden L . PACAP controls adrenomedullary catecholamine secretion and expression of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes at high splanchnic nerve firing rates characteristic of stress transduction in male mice. Endocrinology. 2012; 154(1):330-9. PMC: 3529367. DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1829. View

Ye Z, Wyeth M, Baltan-Tekkok S, Ransom B . Functional hemichannels in astrocytes: a novel mechanism of glutamate release. J Neurosci. 2003; 23(9):3588-96. PMC: 6742182. View

10.

Bosco D, Haefliger J, Meda P . Connexins: key mediators of endocrine function. Physiol Rev. 2011; 91(4):1393-445. DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00027.2010. View

11.

Benarroch E . Neuron-astrocyte interactions: partnership for normal function and disease in the central nervous system. Mayo Clin Proc. 2005; 80(10):1326-38. DOI: 10.4065/80.10.1326. View

12.

Murray S, Davis K, Gay V . ACTH and adrenocortical gap junctions. Microsc Res Tech. 2003; 61(3):240-6. DOI: 10.1002/jemt.10332. View

13.

Flachon V, Tonoli H, Selmi-Ruby S, Durand C, Rabilloud R, Rousset B . Thyroid cell proliferation in response to forced expression of gap junction proteins. Eur J Cell Biol. 2002; 81(5):243-52. DOI: 10.1078/0171-9335-00245. View

14.

Hosny S, Jennes L . Identification of gap junctional connexin-32 mRNA and protein in gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons of the female rat. Neuroendocrinology. 1998; 67(2):101-8. DOI: 10.1159/000054304. View

15.

Degen J, Meier C, van der Giessen R, Sohl G, Petrasch-Parwez E, Urschel S . Expression pattern of lacZ reporter gene representing connexin36 in transgenic mice. J Comp Neurol. 2004; 473(4):511-25. DOI: 10.1002/cne.20085. View

16.

He M, Gonzalez-Iglesias A, Stojilkovic S . Role of nucleotide P2 receptors in calcium signaling and prolactin release in pituitary lactotrophs. J Biol Chem. 2003; 278(47):46270-7. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M309005200. View

17.

Murray S, Oyoyo U, Pharrams S, Kumar N, Gilula N . Characterization of gap junction expression in the adrenal gland. Endocr Res. 1995; 21(1-2):221-9. DOI: 10.3109/07435809509030438. View

18.

Head W, Orseth M, Nunemaker C, Satin L, Piston D, Benninger R . Connexin-36 gap junctions regulate in vivo first- and second-phase insulin secretion dynamics and glucose tolerance in the conscious mouse. Diabetes. 2012; 61(7):1700-7. PMC: 3379660. DOI: 10.2337/db11-1312. View

19.

Tomic M, Jobin R, Vergara L, Stojilkovic S . Expression of purinergic receptor channels and their role in calcium signaling and hormone release in pituitary gonadotrophs. Integration of P2 channels in plasma membrane- and endoplasmic reticulum-derived calcium oscillations. J Biol Chem. 1996; 271(35):21200-8. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.35.21200. View

20.

Ray A, Zoidl G, Weickert S, Wahle P, Dermietzel R . Site-specific and developmental expression of pannexin1 in the mouse nervous system. Eur J Neurosci. 2005; 21(12):3277-90. DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04139.x. View