Endothelial OCT4 is atheroprotective by preventing metabolic and phenotypic dysfunction.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Until recently, the pluripotency factor Octamer (ATGCAAAT)-binding transcriptional factor 4 (OCT4) was believed to be dispensable in adult somatic cells. However, our recent studies provided clear evidence that OCT4 has a critical atheroprotective role in smooth muscle cells. Here, we asked if OCT4 might play a functional role in regulating endothelial cell (EC) phenotypic modulations in atherosclerosis.

Methods and results

Specifically, we show that EC-specific Oct4 knockout resulted in increased lipid, LGALS3+ cell accumulation, and altered plaque characteristics consistent with decreased plaque stability. A combination of single-cell RNA sequencing and EC-lineage-tracing studies revealed increased EC activation, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transitions, plaque neovascu

SUBMITTER: Shin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9890633 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature