Faculty Collaboration Database

Snai1 is important for avian epicardial cell transformation and motility. Dev Dyn 2013 Jun;242(6):699-708

Date

04/05/2013

Pubmed ID

23553854

Pubmed Central ID

PMC3668562

DOI

10.1002/dvdy.23967

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84878156641 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   12 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Formation of the epicardium requires several cellular processes including migration, transformation, invasion, and differentiation in order to give rise to fibroblast, smooth muscle, coronary endothelial and myocyte cell lineages within the developing myocardium. Snai1 is a zinc finger transcription factor that plays an important role in regulating cell survival and fate during embryonic development and under pathological conditions. However, its role in avian epicardial development has not been examined.

RESULTS: Here we show that Snai1 is highly expressed in epicardial cells from as early as the proepicardial cell stage and its expression is maintained as proepicardial cells migrate and spread over the surface of the myocardium and undergo epicardial-to-mesenchymal transformation in the generation of epicardial-derived cells. Using multiple in vitro assays, we show that Snai1 overexpression in chick explants enhances proepicardial cell migration at Hamburger Hamilton Stage (HH St.) 16, and epicardial-to-mesenchymal transformation, cell migration, and invasion at HH St. 24. Further, we demonstrate that Snai1-mediated cell migration requires matrix metalloproteinase activity, and MMP15 is sufficient for this process.

CONCLUSIONS: Together our data provide new insights into the multiple roles that Snai1 has in regulating avian epicardial development.

Author List

Tao G, Miller LJ, Lincoln J

Author

Joy Lincoln PhD Chief, Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Cell Differentiation
Cell Lineage
Cell Movement
Cell Proliferation
Chick Embryo
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Heart
Matrix Metalloproteinase 15
Matrix Metalloproteinases
Mice
Myocardium
Pericardium
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Snail Family Transcription Factors
Transcription Factors