biostudies-literatureMerkely BBritish Heart FoundationNational Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in ResearchMedical Research Council869-78https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC4367527biostudies-literatureUnknown24(7)Vascular derivatives of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are being developed as sources of tissue-specific cells for organ regeneration. However, identity of developmental pathways that modulate the specification of endothelial cells is not known yet. We studied phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Forkhead box O transcription factor 1A (FOXO1A) pathways during differentiation of hESC toward endothelial lineage and on proliferation, maturation, and cell death of hESC-derived endothelial cells (hESC-EC). During differentiation of hESC, expression of FOXO1A transcription factor was linked to the expression of a cluster of angiogenesis- and vascular remodeling-related genes. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 activated FOXO1A and induced formation of CD31(+) hESC-EC. In contrast, differentiating hESC wStem cells and developmentSignaling via PI3K/FOXO1A pathway modulates formation and survival of human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells.PMC4367527RG/14/1/30588MR/L012618/1G1000035/1Nemeth TMioulane MVarady GMerkely BZhou WHarding SELendvai ZSkopal JKosztin AFoldes GLeja TBagyura ZGara EfalseSignaling via PI3K/FOXO1A pathway modulates formation and survival of human embryonic stem cell-derived endothelial cells.Vascular derivatives of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) are being developed as sources of tissue-specific cells for organ regeneration. However, identity of developmental pathways that modulate the specification of endothelial cells is not known yet. We studied phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Forkhead box O transcription factor 1A (FOXO1A) pathways during differentiation of hESC toward endothelial lineage and on proliferation, maturation, and cell death of hESC-derived endothelial cells (hESC-EC). During differentiation of hESC, expression of FOXO1A transcription factor was linked to the expression of a cluster of angiogenesis- and vascular remodeling-related genes. PI3K inhibitor LY294002 activated FOXO1A and induced formation of CD31(+) hESC-EC. In contrast, differentiating hESC w2015-01-01T00:00:00Z2015 Apr2026-05-03T06:59:49.815Z2026-04-07T19:02:11.179ZS-EPMC43675272538740710.1089/scd.2014.0247