Retinoic Acid Regulates Endothelial β-catenin Expression and Pericyte Numbers in the Developing Brain Vasculature.

ABSTRACT: The acquisition of brain vascular properties, like tight junctions and pericytes, to form the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is crucial for a properly functioning central nervous system (CNS). Endothelial WNT signaling is a known driver of brain vascular development and BBB properties, however, it is unclear how endothelial WNT signaling is regulated. We recently showed that mouse embryos with disruptions in endothelial retinoic acid (RA) signaling have ectopic WNT signaling in the brain vasculature. Using immunohistochemistical analysis, we show that increased vascular WNT signaling in RA mutants (Pdgfbi ^cre; dnRAR403-flox and Rdh10 mutants) is associated with elevated expression of the WNT transcriptional effector, β-catenin, in the brain endothelium. In vit

SUBMITTER: Bonney S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6290079 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature