The Protective Effect of Functional Connexin43 Channels on a Human Epithelial Cell Line Exposed to Oxidative Stress

PURPOSE: To determine the role of connexin43 (Cx43) and gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) in the response of the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line ARPE-19 to oxidative stress. METHODS: ARPE-19 cells were treated with the chemical oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH), and cell viability was assessed by the MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. GJIC was evaluated by scrape loading/dye transfer and microinjection assays, and Cx43 expression was detected by Western blot and immunofluorescent staining combined with confocal microscopy analysis. Retroviral infection of ARPE-19 cells with shRNA vectors targeting Cx43 or vectors encoding Cx43, Cx26, and a disease-linked dominant negative Cx43 mutant (G21R) were used, and the effect on cell viability was assessed. RESULTS: t-BOOH-induced ARPE-19 cell death was correlated with reductions in GJIC and in the total level of Cx43 protein expression. Overexpression of Cx26 and Cx43 increased the viability of oxidant-treated ARPE-19 cells. Conversely, shRNA knockdown of Cx43, expression of a disease-linked dominant negative Cx43 mutant, and blocking GJIC with 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid and flufenamic acid all increased t-BOOH-induced ARPE-19 cell death. CONCLUSIONS: Cx43-mediated protection of ARPE-19 cells from oxidative stress-induced death is dependent on functional Cx43 channels.