Connexin 43 Is Necessary for Murine Tendon Enthesis Formation and Response to Loading.

摘要: The enthesis is a mineralized fibrocartilage transition that attaches tendon to bone and vital for musculoskeletal function. Despite recent studies demonstrating the necessity of muscle loading formation, mechanisms regulate formation mechanoresponsiveness remain unclear. Therefore, current study investigated role gap junction protein connexin 43 in these processes by deleting Gja1 (the Cx43 gene) enthesis. Compared with their wild-type (WT) counterparts, mice lacking showed disrupted entheseal cell alignment, reduced fibrocartilage, impaired biomechanical properties supraspinatus entheses during postnatal development. Cx43-deficient also exhibited ability complete treadmill running protocol but no apparent deficits daily activity, metabolic indexes, shoulder size, grip strength, major trabecular adjacent humeral head. To examine mechanoresponsiveness, young adult were subjected modest exercise. deficiency anabolic responses exercise: WT had increased expression Sox9, Ihh, Gli1 Brdu incorporation, whereas changes or decreased levels Collectively, results demonstrated an essential function, response loading; further provided evidence implicating link between function hedgehog signaling pathway. © 2020 American Society Bone Mineral Research.