This gene is a member of the connexin gene family. The encoded protein is a component of gap junctions, which are composed of arrays of intercellular channels that provide a route for the diffusion of low molecular weight materials from cell to cell. Mutations in this gene may be associated with atrial fibrillation. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same isoform have been described.[1]
GJA5 has been identified as the gene that is responsible for the phenotypes observed with congenital heart diseases on the 1q21.1 location. In case of a duplication of GJA5 tetralogy of Fallot is more common. In case of a deletion other congenital heart diseases than tetralogy of Fallot are more common.[2]
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van Rijen HV, van Kempen MJ, Postma S, Jongsma HJ (1998). "Tumour necrosis factor alpha alters the expression of connexin43, connexin40, and connexin37 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells". Cytokine. 10 (4): 258–64. doi:10.1006/cyto.1997.0287. PMID9617570.
Vozzi C; Dupont E; Coppen SR; et al. (1999). "Chamber-related differences in connexin expression in the human heart". J. Mol. Cell. Cardiol. 31 (5): 991–1003. doi:10.1006/jmcc.1999.0937. PMID10336839.
Haefliger JA, Goy JJ, Waeber G (2000). "Sporadic cases of dilated cardiomyopathies associated with atrioventricular conduction defects are not linked to mutation within the connexins 40 and 43 genes". Eur. Heart J. 20 (24): 1843. doi:10.1053/euhj.1999.1718. PMID10581143.
van Rijen HV, van Veen TA, Hermans MM, Jongsma HJ (2000). "Human connexin40 gap junction channels are modulated by cAMP". Cardiovasc. Res. 45 (4): 941–51. doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(99)00373-9. PMID10728420.
Vis JC; Nicholson LF; Faull RL; et al. (2002). "Connexin expression in Huntington's diseased human brain". Cell Biol. Int. 22 (11–12): 837–47. doi:10.1006/cbir.1998.0388. PMID10873295.
Valiunas V, Gemel J, Brink PR, Beyer EC (2001). "Gap junction channels formed by coexpressed connexin40 and connexin43". Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. 281 (4): H1675–89. PMID11557558.
Kaba RA; Coppen SR; Dupont E; et al. (2003). "Comparison of connexin 43, 40 and 45 expression patterns in the developing human and mouse hearts". Cell Commun. Adhes. 8 (4–6): 339–43. doi:10.3109/15419060109080750. PMID12064615.
Cronier L; Defamie N; Dupays L; et al. (2003). "Connexin expression and gap junctional intercellular communication in human first trimester trophoblast". Mol. Hum. Reprod. 8 (11): 1005–13. doi:10.1093/molehr/8.11.1005. PMID12397213.
Simon AM, McWhorter AR (2002). "Vascular abnormalities in mice lacking the endothelial gap junction proteins connexin37 and connexin40". Dev. Biol. 251 (2): 206–20. doi:10.1006/dbio.2002.0826. PMID12435353.
Dupays L; Mazurais D; Rücker-Martin C; et al. (2003). "Genomic organization and alternative transcripts of the human Connexin40 gene". Gene. 305 (1): 79–90. doi:10.1016/S0378-1119(02)01229-5. PMID12594044.