Localized Prox1 Regulates Aortic Valve Endothelial Cell Diversity and Extracellular Matrix Stratification in Mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Specialized valve endothelial cell (VEC) populations are localized oriented to blood flow in developing aortic and mitral valves, but their roles in valve development and disease are unknown. In the aortic valve (AoV), a population of VECs on the fibrosa side expresses the transcription factor Prox1 together with genes found in lymphatic ECs. In this study, we examine Prox1's role in regulating a lymphatic-like gene network and promoting VEC diversity required for the development of the stratified trilaminar extracellular matrix (ECM) of murine AoV leaflets.

Methods

To determine whether disruption of Prox1 localization affects heart valve development, we generated mice (NFATc1^enCre Prox1 gain-of-function) in which Prox1 is overexpressed on

SUBMITTER: O'Donnell A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10528305 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature