摘要Objective.To illuminate the regulating effect of all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) and connexin 43 (Cx43) gene expression in glioma cells,which is tissue and organ specific. Method.Rat C6 glioma cells were exposed to ATRA at a concentration of 1,10,100 μ mol/L respectively,and the GJIC function of the cells was examined with scrape loading dye transfer assay 24 hours,48 hours and 72 hours after ATRA treatment.The effect of ATRA on Cx43 gene expression was measured with semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) 24 hours after ATRA exposure. Results.The GJIC function of C6 glioma cells was significantly increased by ATRA at each concentration applied.The dye passed 4 to 5 rows of cells from the scraping edge in ATRA treated cells,but only 1 or 2 rows in the control.The augment effect was observed 24 hours after each concentration ATRA treatment,and lasted till 72 hours after treatment with 1μ mol/L and 10μ mol/L ATRA.Forty eight hours after exposed to 100μ mol/L ATRA,the enhancement of GJIC was less obvious.There was no significant increase induced by ATRA on the transcription of Cx43 gene,as demonstrated by semiquantitative RT PCR. Conclusion.ATRA turned out to be a potent enhancer on GJIC function in C6 glioma cells,and the enhancement effect was most probable at post transcriptional level.