Apelin-APJ signaling is a critical regulator of endothelial MEF2 activation in cardiovascular development.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

The peptide ligand apelin and its receptor APJ constitute a signaling pathway with numerous effects on the cardiovascular system, including cardiovascular development in model organisms such as xenopus and zebrafish.

Objective

This study aimed to characterize the embryonic lethal phenotype of the Apj-/- mice and to define the involved downstream signaling targets.

Methods and results

We report the first characterization of the embryonic lethality of the Apj-/- mice. More than half of the expected Apj-/- embryos died in utero because of cardiovascular developmental defects. Those succumbing to early embryonic death had markedly deformed vasculature of the yolk sac and the embryo, as well as poorly looped hearts with aberrantly formed right ventricles and defe

SUBMITTER: Kang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3739451 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature