PUBLICATION

A field of myocardial-endocardial NFAT signaling underlies heart valve morphogenesis

Authors
Chang, C.P., Neilson, J.R., Bayle, J.H., Gestwicki, J.E., Kuo, A., Stankunas, K., Graef, I.A., and Crabtree, G.R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-040908-7
Date
2004
Source
Cell   118(5): 649-663 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Stankunas, Kryn
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Calcineurin/metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation/genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • Endocardium/cytology
  • Endocardium/embryology*
  • Endocardium/metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental/genetics
  • Heart Valves/cytology
  • Heart Valves/embryology*
  • Heart Valves/metabolism
  • Mesoderm/cytology
  • Mesoderm/metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Morphogenesis/genetics
  • Myocardium/cytology
  • Myocardium/metabolism*
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Nuclear Proteins*
  • Repressor Proteins/genetics
  • Repressor Proteins/metabolism
  • Signal Transduction/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
15339668 Full text @ Cell
Abstract
The delicate leaflets that make up vertebrate heart valves are essential for our moment-to-moment existence. Abnormalities of valve formation are the most common serious human congenital defect. Despite their importance, relatively little is known about valve development. We show that the initiation of heart valve morphogenesis in mice requires calcineurin/NFAT to repress VEGF expression in the myocardium underlying the site of prospective valve formation. This repression of VEGF at E9 is essential for endocardial cells to transform into mesenchymal cells. Later, at E11, a second wave of calcineurin/NFAT signaling is required in the endocardium, adjacent to the earlier myocardial site of NFAT action, to direct valvular elongation and refinement. Thus, NFAT signaling functions sequentially from myocardium to endocardium within a valvular morphogenetic field to initiate and perpetuate embryonic valve formation. This mechanism also operates in zebrafish, indicating a conserved role for calcineurin/NFAT signaling in vertebrate heart valve morphogenesis.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping