Intercellular Communication via Mitotic Nanotubes is Influenced by Connexin-43 Trafficking and Actin Remodeling

Gap junction communication is reduced during mitosis as the junction protein connexin-43 (Cx43) is redistributed from gap junction plaques on the plasma membrane to cytoplasmic annular vesicles and actin-based mitotic nanotubes that transiently connect mitotic cells to neighboring cells. However, the dynamic details of Cx43 redistribution during cell entry into and exit from mitosis, and the roles of mitotic nanotubes and associated Cx43 in intercellular communication, remain poorly understood. Here, using confocal live-cell imaging, we show that as cells enter mitosis, plaque-derived Cx43 structures are transferred to mitotic nanotubes. Over time, these structures fragment and migrate along the length of the nanotubes, either being transferred to the cytoplasm of adjacent cells or being positioned at the nanotube ends where they could potentially enable communication. Functionally, mitotic nanotubes indeed facilitate gap junction-dependent intercellular communication, though at reduced rates compared interphase cells. Interestingly, knockdown of Cx43 resulted in impaired nanotube formation and intercellular communication while inhibition of Rho kinase (ROCK) with Y-27632 prevented mitotic cell rounding and nanotube elongation, and increased cell-cell communication during mitosis, suggesting that nanotube function is influenced by Cx43 expression and trafficking as well as actin remodeling via ROCK. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms that regulate Cx43 and mitotic nanotube dynamics and reveal a novel role for mitotic nanotubes in facilitating cell-cell communication during cell division.