Determine the role of ALK5 signaling in murine brain pericytes at embryonic day E13.5
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ABSTRACT: Pericytes (PCs) are microvascular mural cells which constituent the embryonic blood brain barrier (BBB) along with endothelial cells (ECs). During brain development, germinal matrix (GM) - a highly vascularized region rich in neuronal-glial precursors, is selectively vulnerable to hemorrhage in premature infants. The transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathway plays a crucial role in barrier development by regulating cellular cross talk between PCs and ECs. Indeed, murine embryos lacking TGFβ receptor activin receptor-like kinase 5 (Alk5) in brain PCs (mutants) develop gross germinal matrix hemorrhage-intraventricular hemorrhage (GMH-IVH) and culminate in perinatal lethality. Mutant GM vessels display reduced PC and collagen coverage, abnormal vessel dilation and EC hyperproliferation. However, the mechanistic link between PC-specific deletion of ALK5 and aberrant EC behavior remains elusive. Herein, using bulk RNA sequencing from human brain PCs lacking ALK5 (siALK5) as well as murine vascular cells [PCs and ECs] isolated from embryonic brain at embryonic days E11.5 and E13.5 we establish that angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT2), a secreted angiogenic growth factor, is robustly repressed by the TGFβ pathway in PCs. Conversely, mutants lacking PC-ALK5 secrete higher levels of ANGPT2 resulting in overactivation of tyrosine protein kinase receptor (TIE2) and culminating in EC hyperproliferation, vessel dilation, BBB breakdown and GMH. PC-specific Angpt2 deletion or pharmacological inhibition in mutants improves GM vessel morphology, reduces EC proliferation and attenuates GMH pathogenesis. Taken together, we demonstrate that loss of TGFβ-mediated ANGPT2 repression in PCs is detrimental for BBB integrity and identify ANGPT2 as an important pathological target for GMH-IVH.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE268575 | GEO | 2024/06/30
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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