• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.70-75
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• 2010

Asp66his, Asp54Lys, and Asp50Asn are mutations in connexin 26 that are observed in the clinic and give rise to autosomal dominant syndromes. They are the result of point mutations in the human gap junction ${\beta}-2$ gene. In order to investigate the structural mechanism of Bart-Pumphrey Syndrome, Keratitis-Ichthyosis-Deafness Syndrome, and Vohwinkel Syndrome, homology modeling was carried out. Asp66 has direct contact with Asn62 by two hydrogen bonds in the wild-type protein, and in Asp66His, the biggest change observed is a tremendous energy increase caused by hydrogen bond breakage to Asn62. Shifts in the side chain and new hydrogen bond formation are observed for Lys54 compared to the wild-type protein (Asn54) and result in closer contact to Val84. Asp50Asn causes a significant decrease in bond energy, and residual charge reversal repels the ion and metabolites and, hence, inhibits their transportation. Such perturbations are likely to be a factor contributing to abnormal functioning of ion channels, resulting cell death and disease.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.107-112
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• 2007

Gap junction protein, connexin, is expressed in endothelial cells of vessels, glomerulus, and renin secreting cells of the kidney. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of gap junction in renin secretion and its underlying mechanisms using As 4.1 cell line, a renin-expressing clonal cell line. Renin release was increased proportionately to incubation time. The specific gap junction inhibitor, 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) increased renin release in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. Heptanol and octanol, gap junction blockers, also increased renin release, which were less potent than GA. GA-stimulated renin release was attenuated by pretreatment of the cells with amiloride, nifedipine, ryanodine, and thapsigargin. GA dose-dependently increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, which was attenuated by nifedipine, nimodipine, ryanodine, and thapsigargin. However, RP-cAMP, chelerythrine, tyrphostin A23, or phenylarsine oxide did not induced any significant change in GA-stimulated increase of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. These results suggest that gap junction plays an important role on the regulation of renin release and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration in As 4.1 cells.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.64-69
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• 2006

Gap junctional channels, allowing rapid intercellular communication and synchronization of coupled cell activities, play crucial roles in many signaling processes, including a variety of cell activities. Consequently, a modulation of the gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) should be a potential pharmacological target. In the present, the GJIC of a epithelial-derived rat mammary cells (BICR-M1Rk) was assessed in the presence of ginseng saponin, by using an established method of scrape-loading dye transfer assay. The transfer of Lucifer yellow (diameter: 1.2 nm) among the neighboring BICR-M1Rk cells, in which connexin43 (Cx43) is a major gap junction channel-forming protein, was significantly retarded at a concentration of $10{\mu}g/ml$ ginseng saponin. By using both methods of RT-PCR and Western blotting, it was demonstrated that ginseng saponin modulated neither the mRNA synthesis of Cx43 nor the translational process of Cx43. This ginseng saponin-induced modification of GJIC was a similar phenomenon observed under the $\beta$-glycyrrhetinic acid treatment, a well-known gap junction channel blocker. Taken together, it is reasonable to conclude that the ginseng saponin inhibits GJIC only by modulating the gating property of gap junction channels.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.130-133
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• 2021

X-linked Charcot Marie Tooth disease type 1 (CMTX1) is a clinically heterogenous X-linked hereditary neuropathy caused by mutation of the gene encoding gap junction beta 1 protein (GJB1). Typical clinical manifestations of CMTX1 are progressive weakness or sensory disturbance due to peripheral neuropathy. However, there have been some CMTX1 cases with accompanying central nervous system (CNS) manifestations. We report the case of a genetically confirmed CMTX1 patient who presented recurrent transient CNS symptoms without any symptom or sign of peripheral nervous system involvement.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) with genetic origin is common (1/2000 births). ARNSHL can be associated with mutations in gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2). To this end, this cohort investigation aimed to find the contribution of GJB2 gene mutations with the genotype-phenotype correlations in 45 ARNSHL cases in the Kurdish population. Subjects and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from a total of 45 ARNSHL families. The linkage analysis with 3 short tandem repeat markers linked to GJB2 was performed on 45 ARNSHL families. Only 9 of these families were linked to the DFNB1 locus. All the 45 families who took part were sequenced for confirmation linkage analysis (to perform a large project). Results: A total of three different mutations were determined. Two of which [c.35delG and c.-23+1G>A (IVS1+1G>A)] were previously reported but (c.299-300delAT) mutation was novel in the Kurdish population. The homozygous pathogenic mutations of GJB2 gene was observed in nine out of the 45 families (20%), also heterozygous genotype (c.35delG/N)+(c.-23+1G>A/c.-23+1G>A) were observed in 4/45 families (8.8%). The degree of hearing loss (HL) in patients with other mutations was less severe than patients with c.35delG homozygous mutation (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our data suggest that GJB2 mutations constitute 20% of the etiology of ARNSHL in Iran; moreover, the c.35delG mutation is the most common HL cause in the Kurdish population. Therefore, these mutations should be included in the molecular testing of HL in this population.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2019

Background and Objectives: Autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing loss (ARNSHL) with genetic origin is common (1/2000 births). ARNSHL can be associated with mutations in gap junction protein beta 2 (GJB2). To this end, this cohort investigation aimed to find the contribution of GJB2 gene mutations with the genotype-phenotype correlations in 45 ARNSHL cases in the Kurdish population. Subjects and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from a total of 45 ARNSHL families. The linkage analysis with 3 short tandem repeat markers linked to GJB2 was performed on 45 ARNSHL families. Only 9 of these families were linked to the DFNB1 locus. All the 45 families who took part were sequenced for confirmation linkage analysis (to perform a large project). Results: A total of three different mutations were determined. Two of which [c.35delG and c.-23+1G>A (IVS1+1G>A)] were previously reported but (c.299-300delAT) mutation was novel in the Kurdish population. The homozygous pathogenic mutations of GJB2 gene was observed in nine out of the 45 families (20%), also heterozygous genotype (c.35delG/N)+(c.-23+1G>A/c.-23+1G>A) were observed in 4/45 families (8.8%). The degree of hearing loss (HL) in patients with other mutations was less severe than patients with c.35delG homozygous mutation (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our data suggest that GJB2 mutations constitute 20% of the etiology of ARNSHL in Iran; moreover, the c.35delG mutation is the most common HL cause in the Kurdish population. Therefore, these mutations should be included in the molecular testing of HL in this population.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-150
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• 1994

Morphological features of the interaction between the hatching blastocyst and implantation in pig were studied by electron microscopy. The observations extended from late blastocyst stage to the completion of trophoblastic erosion of the epithelium and early decidual transformation of the epithelium and early decidual transformation of the stromal cells. Between day 7 and 17 of pregnancy, blastocysts from 0.3 to 12 mm in diameter were flushed from the uterine horns of Dutch Landrace pigs. On the 7th of development in the pig blastocyst, the blastocyst shedded of the zona pellucida established the tips of microvilli and with bleb-like cytoplasmic protrusions of the epithelial cells. From day 11 on in pig embryo, the bilayered trophoblast undergoes a dramatic phase of elongation so that the initially spherical expanded blastocyst becomes tubular. In pig, close apposition to the uterine wall beg-ins at about 12 $^1$/$_2$ days and then attachment occurred during the afternoon of the 16th or 18th day post coitum. At this stage, embryonic loss compared with corpus luteum number is up to 40% of ovulated oocytes. Therefore, the implantation failture of these embryos may be mainly caused by morphological abnormality and failture of zona shedding.

• Journal of Audiology & Otology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2019

Diagnosis of pre-lingual hearing loss (HL) is difficult owing to the high number of genes responsible. The most frequent cause of HL is DFNB1 due to mutations in the GJB2 gene. It represents up to 40% of HL cases in some populations. In Iran, it has previously been shown that DFNB1 accounts for 16-18% of cases but varies among different ethnic groups. Here, we reviewed results from our three previous publications and data from other published mutation reports to provide a comprehensive collection of data for GJB2 mutations and HL in northern Iran. In total, 903 unrelated families from six different provinces, viz., Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Ghazvin, Semnan, and Tehran, were included and analyzed for the type and prevalence of GJB2 mutations. A total of 23 different genetic variants were detected from which 18 GJB2 mutations were identified. GJB2 mutations were 20.7% in the studied northern provinces, which was significantly higher than that reported in southern populations of Iran. Moreover, a gradient in the frequency of GJB2 mutations from north to south Iran was observed. c.35delG was the most common mutation, accounting for 58.4% of the cases studied. This study suggests that c.35delG mutation in GJB2 is the most important cause of HL in northern Iran.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2019

Diagnosis of pre-lingual hearing loss (HL) is difficult owing to the high number of genes responsible. The most frequent cause of HL is DFNB1 due to mutations in the GJB2 gene. It represents up to 40% of HL cases in some populations. In Iran, it has previously been shown that DFNB1 accounts for 16-18% of cases but varies among different ethnic groups. Here, we reviewed results from our three previous publications and data from other published mutation reports to provide a comprehensive collection of data for GJB2 mutations and HL in northern Iran. In total, 903 unrelated families from six different provinces, viz., Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, Ghazvin, Semnan, and Tehran, were included and analyzed for the type and prevalence of GJB2 mutations. A total of 23 different genetic variants were detected from which 18 GJB2 mutations were identified. GJB2 mutations were 20.7% in the studied northern provinces, which was significantly higher than that reported in southern populations of Iran. Moreover, a gradient in the frequency of GJB2 mutations from north to south Iran was observed. c.35delG was the most common mutation, accounting for 58.4% of the cases studied. This study suggests that c.35delG mutation in GJB2 is the most important cause of HL in northern Iran.