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Nerve Growth Factor Increases Connexin43 Phosphorylation And Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication, P. Cushing, R. Bhalla, A. Johnson, W. Rushlow, S. Meakin, Daniel Belliveau

Daniel J. Belliveau

The function of gap junctions is regulated by the phosphorylation state of their connexin subunits. Numerous growth factors are known to regulate connexin phosphorylation; however, the effect of nerve growth factor on gap junction function is not understood. The phosphorylation of connexin subunits is a key event during many aspects of the lifecycle of a connexin, including open/close states, assembly/trafficking, and degradation, and thus affects the functionality of the channel. PC12 cells infected with connexin43 (Cx43) retrovirus were used as a neuronal model to characterize the signal transduction pathways activated by nerve growth factor (NGF) that potentially affect the functional …