ABSTRACT
Connexin43 has been shown to play a pivotal role in wound healing process. Wound repair is enhanced by acute downregulation of connexin43, by increasing proliferation and migration of keratinocyte and fibroblast. Angiogenesis is also a central feature of wound repair, but little is known about the effects of connexin43 modulation on functions of endothelial cells. We used connexin43 specific small interference RNA (siRNA) to reduce the expression of connexin43 in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC), and investigated the effects of connexin43 downregulation on intercellular communication, viability, proliferation, migration and angiogenic activity of HUVEC. Treatment of siRNA markedly reduced the expression of connexin43 by -80% in HUVEC (P < 0.05), and decreased the intercellular communication by -65% (P < 0.05). The viability, proliferation, migration and angiogenic activity of HUVEC decreased significantly (P < 0.05), compared with that of the normal cells. The results suggest that temporally downregulation of connexin43 expression at early stage of wound to inhibit the abnormal angiogenesis characterized with leaky and inflamed blood vessels, maybe a prerequisite for coordinated normal healing process.