RESUMEN
Objective To explore the mechanisms of trafficking and signaling of serotonin 1A receptor(5-HT_(1A))and its spatiotemporal distribution in living cells.Methods The mouse 5-HT_(1A) gene amplified by RT-PCR was recombined into pEGFP-N1 vector and the EGFP coding sequence was located in-frame at the C-terminal end of the 5-HT_(1A) receptor.The 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP was transfected into neuron-like PC12 cells as well as HEK293.The transfected cells were visualized using confocal microscopy,the mobility of 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP was monitored by live measurements and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching.Results The 5-HT_(1A) gene was identitical with the published gene sequence NM_008308.4 and a 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP fusion construct was created.After stable transfection of the plasimd into a PC12 cell line and analysis with a confocal laser scanning microscopy,the EGFP-tagged 5-HT_(1A) was predominantly associated with the plasma membrane,but some intracellular vesicles in the perinuclear region also contained the fusion protein.The predominant localization of 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP at the plasma membrane was confirmed in transiently transfected HEK293 cells.Bleached fluorescence was partialy recovered in 100 seconds,indicating that the 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP was mobiled on the membrane.Conclusion Spatiotemporal distribution and mobility of 5-HT_(1A) tagged with EGFP can be monitored in the 5-HT_(1A)-EGFP stable PC12 cell line,which could be an excellent neuron-like experimental cell model for research of 5-HT_(1A) trafficking and signaling.
RESUMEN
Objective:To investigate Cx43 expression and gap junctional intercellular communication(GJIC) in ectopic and eutopic endometrial stromal cells in endometriosis(EMs),and to explore the influence of aberrant GJIC in stromal cells on pathogenesis of EMs. Methods:The stromal cells were isolated from samples including 24 ectopic endometriotic tissues located in ovaries,41 eutopic endometria with endometriosis and 30 normal endometria. The endometrial stromal cells models were established in vitro by being cultured in manual conditions mimicked with estrogen and progesterone. Laser scanning confocal microscopy(LSCM) was used to determine the expression of Cx43 protein and the function of GJIC in three groups stromal cells. Results:The success rate of isolation and culture of endometriotic stromal cells was 45.8%(11/24);of eutopic endometrial stromal cells with EMs was 92.7(38/41);of normal endometrial stromal cells was 93.3%(28/30). The purities of ectopic and eutopic endometrial stromal cells were 95% and 98% respectively. The level of Cx43 protein and the function of GJIC in stromal cells from ectopic endometrial tissues were much lower than those from the other two groups,the highest level of Cx43 protein and the function of GJIC were observed in normal endometrial stromal cells group,and the differences among these groups were significant (P﹤0.01). Conclusions:(1) It will be helpful to establish models of normal,ectopic and eutopic endometrial stromal cells in vitro simultaneously when investigating the pathgenesis of EMs. (2)Downregulation of Cx43 expression and aberrant function of GJIC are related to pathogenesis of EMs. Regulation of Cx43 or GJIC in endometrial stromal cells is implied to be a potential strategy to treat EMs.