Evidence that disruption of connexon particle arrangements in gap junction plaques is associated with inhibition of gap junctional communication by a glycyrrhetinic acid derivative

Glycyrrhetinic acid exhibits many pharmacological activities, including the ability to block gap junctional communication. However, the mechanism of glycyrrhetinic action is not clear. Others have shown that glycyrrhetinic acid apparently binds to a single proteinatious binding site in the plasma membrane. We present evidence that while exposure to glycyrrhetinic acid derivatives may not affect protein synthesis or location, it does seem to alter connexon particle packing in gap junction plaques. (C) 1996 academic Press, Inc.