SM22α⁺ vascular mural cells are essential for vessel stability in tumors and undergo phenotype transition regulated by Notch signaling.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Malformation of blood vessels represents a hallmark of cancers, but the role and regulation of vascular mural cells (vMCs), including vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) and pericytes, in tumors has not been fully understood. SM22α has been identified as a marker of vSMCs. This study aims at elucidating the function and regulation of SM22α⁺ mural cells (SM22-MCs) in tumor stroma.

Methods

Gene-modified mice with a SM22α-CreER^T2 transgene were employed to deplete SM22-MCs or activate/block Notch signaling in these cells. vSMCs from mouse dorsal aorta (vSMCs-DA) were cultured in vitro. RNA-seq was used to compare gene expression profiles. qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to determine gene expression level. Immunofluorescence was used to o

SUBMITTER: Zhang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7331127 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature