Hapln1a+ cells guide coronary growth during heart morphogenesis and regeneration [Dev, tcf21+ cells]

ABSTRACT: As cardiac regeneration requires new coronary vessels, exploring the underlying mechanisms behind revascularization will facilitate the development of regenerative therapies for heart failure. Although multiple tissues and chemokines likely orchestrate coronary formation, the interaction between coronary growth and guidance cues remains unclear. Here, by applying single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis, we examined gene expression in zebrafish epicardial cells during coronary vascularization and identified hapln1a-expressing epicardial cells enriched with vascular-regulating genes. Fluorescence reporter assays indicated hapln1a+ cells not only envelop coronary vessels, but also form cellular shear structures in ahead of coronary tips. Live imaging analyses demonstrated coronary growth along the pre-formed shears, with depletion of hapln1a+ cells blocking this growth. Further, we found hapln1a+ cells also pre-lead coronary tips in the regenerating area and hapln1a+ cell loss inhibits coronary revascularization. To characterize the molecular nature of hapln1a+ cells during coronary growth, we profiled hapln1a+ cells in juvenile and regenerating hearts and detected expression of the cell adhesion and migration regulator serpine1 in hapln1a+ cells adjacent to coronary tips. Pharmacological inhibition of serpine1 function blocked coronary vascularization and revascularization. Altogether, our studies reveal that hapln1a+ cells are required for coronary production during heart morphogenesis and regeneration, by establishing a microenvironment to facilitate guided coronary growth.

ORGANISM(S): Danio rerio

PROVIDER: GSE216648 | GEO | 2023/05/26

REPOSITORIES: GEO