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Tight junctions contribute to the paracellular barrier, the fence dividing plasma membranes, and signal transduction, acting as a multifunctional complex in vertebrate epithelial and endothelial cells. The identification and characterization of the transmembrane proteins of tight junctions, claudins, junctional adhesion molecules (JAMs), occludin and tricellulin, have led to insights into the molecular nature of tight junctions. We provide an overview of recent progress in studies on these proteins and highlight their roles and regulation, as well as their functional significance in human diseases.

Tight junctions are intercellular junctions adjacent to the apical end of the lateral membrane surface. They have two functions, the barrier (or gate) function and the fence function. The barrier function of tight junctions regulates the passage of ions, water, and various macromolecules, even of cancer cells, through paracellular spaces. The barrier function is thus relevant to edema, jaundice, diarrhea, and blood-borne metastasis. On the other hand, the fence function maintains cell polarity. In other words, tight junctions work as a fence to prevent intermixing of molecules in the apical membrane with those in the lateral membrane. This function is deeply involved in cancer cell biology, in terms of loss of cell polarity. Of the proteins comprising tight junctions, integral membrane proteins occludin, claudins, and JAMs have been recently discovered. Of these molecules, claudins are exclusively responsible for the formation of tight-junction strands and are connected with the actin cytoskeleton mediated by ZO-1. Thus, both functions of tight junctions are dependent on the integrity of the actin cytoskeleton as well as ATP. Mutations in the claudin14 and the claudin16 genes result in hereditary deafness and hereditary hypomagnesemia, respectively. Some pathogenic bacteria and viruses target and affect the tight-junction function, leading to diseases. In this review, the relationship between tight junctions and human diseases is summarized.

(HY) S U M M A R Y Among tight-junction proteins, claudins, which play a key role in paracellular transport across epithelia, claudins 1 to 5 are expressed in the intestine, and changes in their abundance and/or distribution are considered to contribute to various gastrointestinal diseases. We investigated, by reverse transcription-PCR, immunoblot, and immunofluorescence analyses, which other claudin species were expressed in the mouse intestine, and whether they showed unique expression profiles. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against mouse claudin-8, claudin-12, and claudin-15 were generated, and their specificity was verified by immunoblotting using COS-7 cells transfected with individual claudin cDNAs. Claudin-7, -8, -12, -13, and -15 appeared to be expressed in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and/or colon with remarkable variations in the expression levels along the intestinal tract, and had distinct subcellular localization in the intestinal epithelium. In addition, claudin-13 and -15 exhibited gradients along the crypt-surface axis of the colon. By contrast,

Vitamin D is an important regulator of mineral homeostasis and bone metabolism. 1Alpha-hydroxylation of 25-(OH)D3 to form the bioactive vitamin D hormone, 1alpha,25-(OH)2D3, is classically considered to take place in the kidney. However, 1alpha-hydroxylase has been reported at extrarenal sites. Whether bone is a 1alpha,25-(OH)2D3 synthesizing tissue is not univocal. The aim of this study was to investigate an autocrine/paracrine function for 1alpha,25-(OH)2D3 in bone. We show that 1alpha-hydroxylase is expressed in human osteoblasts, as well as the vitamin D binding protein receptors megalin and cubilin. Functional analyses demonstrate that after incubation with the 1alpha-hydroxylase substrate 25-(OH)D3, the osteoblasts can produce sufficient 1alpha,25-(OH)2D3 to modulate osteoblast activity, resulting in induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, osteocalcin (OC) and CYP24 mRNA expression, and mineralization. The classical renal regulators of 1alpha-hydroxylase, parathyroid hormone, and ambient calcium do not regulate 1alpha-hydroxylase in osteoblasts. In contrast, interleukin (IL)-1beta strongly induces 1alpha-hydroxylase. Besides the bone-forming cells, we demonstrate 1alpha-hydroxylase activity in the bone resorbing cells, the osteoclasts. This is strongly dependent on osteoclast inducer RANKL. This study showing expression, activity, and functionality of 1alpha-hydroxylase unequivocally demonstrates that vitamin D can act in an auto/paracrine manner in bone.

Gap-junction plaques are often observed with tight-junction strands of vascular endothelial cells but the molecular interaction and functional relationships between these two junctions remain obscure. We herein show that gap-junction proteins connexin40 (Cx40) and Cx43 are colocalized and coprecipitated with tight-junction molecules occludin, claudin-5, and ZO-1 in porcine blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelial cells. Gap junction blockers 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (18beta-GA) and oleamide (OA) did not influence expression of Cx40, Cx43, occludin, claudin-5, junctional adhesion molecule (JAM)-A, JAM-B, JAM-C, or ZO-1, or their subcellular localization in the porcine BBB endothelial cells. In contrast, these gap-junction blocking agents inhibited the barrier function of tight junctions in cells, determined by measurement of transendothelial electrical resistance and paracellular flux of mannitol and inulin. 18beta-GA also significantly reduced the barrier property in rat lung endothelial (RLE) cells expressing doxycycline-induced claudin-1, but did not change the interaction between Cx43 and either claudin-1 or ZO-1, nor their expression levels or subcellular distribution. These findings suggest that Cx40- and/or Cx43-based gap junctions might be required to maintain the endothelial barrier function without altering the expression and localization of the tight-junction components analyzed.

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