Vascular injury triggers Kruppel-like factor 6 mobilization and cooperation with specificity protein 1 to promote endothelial activation through upregulation of the activin receptor-like kinase 1 gene.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Activin receptor-like kinase-1 (ALK1) is an endothelial transforming growth factor β receptor involved in angiogenesis. ALK1 expression is high in the embryo vasculature, becoming less detectable in the quiescent endothelium of adult stages. However, ALK1 expression becomes rapidly increased after angiogenic stimuli such as vascular injury.

Objective

To characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of ALK1 on vascular injury.

Methods and results

Alk1 becomes strongly upregulated in endothelial (EC) and vascular smooth muscle cells of mouse femoral arteries after wire-induced endothelial denudation. In vitro denudation of monolayers of human umbilical vein ECs also leads to an increase in ALK1. Interestingly, a key factor in tissue remodelin

SUBMITTER: Garrido-Martin EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3537907 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature