The apical junctional complex (AJC) is a membrane protein ultrastructure that regulates cell adhesion and homeostasis. The tight junction (TJ) and the adherens junction (AJ) are substructures of the AJC. The interplay between TJ and AJ membrane proteins to assemble the AJC remains unclear. We employed synthetic biology strategies to express the basic membrane elements of a simple AJC-the adhesive extracellular domains of junctional adhesion molecule A (JAM-A), epithelial cadherin, claudin 1, and occludin-to study their interactions. Our results suggest that calcium concentration fluctuations and JAM-A, acting as an interface molecule between the TJ and AJ, orchestrate their interplay. Calcium affects the secondary structure, oligomerization, and binding affinity of homotypic and heterotypic interactions of TJ and AJ components, thus acting as a molecular switch influencing AJC dynamics.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14252DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

tight junction
8
adherens junction
8
calcium regulates
4
regulates interplay
4
interplay tight
4
junction
4
junction epithelial
4
epithelial adherens
4
junction plasma
4
membrane
4

Similar Publications

Exertional heat stroke (EHS) is a life-threatening condition characterized by hyperthermia and multi-organ dysfunction, often associated with intestinal barrier disruption. This study evaluated the protective effects of Huoxiang Zhengqi Dropping Pills (HXZQD) against EHS in a rat model. HXZQD was administered via oral gavage at low, medium, and high doses, followed by EHS induction through exercise under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Oxyberberine (OBB) is a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid that is believed to possess various health-promoting properties, including anti-fungus, hepatoprotection, anti-inflammation, and anti-intestinal mucositis effects. Despite several studies reporting the health benefits of OBB in treating ulcerative colitis (UC), its specific mechanism of action has yet to be fully elucidated.

Purpose: This investigation is designed to explore the potential protective efficacy of OBB and the latent mechanism using an model of UC-like inflammatory intestinal cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: In the Kazakh community of Xinjiang, China, fermented camel milk has been traditionally used to manage diabetes. This study evaluates the effects of composite probiotics derived from fermented camel milk (CPCM) on metabolic disturbances in a rat model of Type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: T2DM was induced in Wistar rats using streptozotocin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Despite evidence of the efficacy of decursinol angelate (DA), a prescription medication derived farom traditional Chinese medicine, in alleviating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the precise mechanisms behind its action remain unclear.

Methods: Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induction were used as and models of IBD, respectively, to assess the role of DA in alleviating IBD. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mouse serum, Western blot was performed to detect the expression of TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway tight junction (TJ) proteins in colon tissues and cells, and immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR were used to validate the proteins related to this signaling pathway.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

PANoptosis in intestinal epithelium: its significance in inflammatory bowel disease and a potential novel therapeutic target for natural products.

Front Immunol

January 2025

Institute of Medical Genetics and Reproductive Immunity, School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu College of Nursing, Huai'an, China.

The intestinal epithelium, beyond its role in absorption and digestion, serves as a critical protective mechanical barrier that delineates the luminal contents and the gut microbiota from the lamina propria within resident mucosal immune cells to maintain intestinal homeostasis. The barrier is manifested as a contiguous monolayer of specialized intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), interconnected through tight junctions (TJs). The integrity of this epithelial barrier is of paramount.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!