Differential expression of connexin43 and desmin defines two subpopulations of medial smooth muscle cells in the human internal mammary artery

Upregulation of connexin43-gap junctions is associated with transition of contractile vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to the synthetic state. To determine whether phenotypically distinct subpopulations of medial SMCs differentially express connexin43, we investigated the human distal internal mammary artery, a structurally heterogeneous vessel with features ranging from elastic to elastomuscular to muscular. Immunoconfocal microscopy combined with quantitative analysis and complemented by in situ hybridization showed that SMCs in the elastic medial regions expressed high levels of connexin43 but low levels of desmin, whereas those of muscular medial regions expressed low levels of connexin43 but high levels of desmin. Ultrastructurally, SMCs of both regions were of the contractile phenotype, but the former cells were irregular in shape with relatively prominent synthetic organelles whereas the latter were spindle shaped with fewer synthetic organelles. Vimentin, smooth muscle alpha-actin, calponin, h-caldesmon, and myosin heavy chains (SM1 and SM2) were equally highly expressed by most cells in both subpopulations. The connexin43/desmin expression pattern of SMCs in regions of intimal thickening resembled those of elastic medial regions. These findings refine the view suggested from previous studies that high levels of connexin43 expression are associated with SMCs of a less contractile/more synthetic phenotype. In the internal mammary artery, the 2 subpopulations of SMCs with markedly different connexin43 expression levels both represent a differentiated contractile phenotype, but the subpopulation showing high levels of connexin43-gap junctions is characterized by low levels of desmin and structural features that reflect a more synthetic tendency.