Crosstalk between BMP and Notch Induces Sox2 in Cerebral Endothelial Cells

Cells. 2019 Jun 6;8(6):549. doi: 10.3390/cells8060549.

Abstract

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and Notch signaling are critical for endothelial cell (EC) differentiation in vascular development. Recent studies have shown that excess BMP activity induces Notch signaling in cerebral ECs resulting in arteriovenous malformation (AVMs). However, it is unclear how the crosstalk between BMP and Notch signaling affects cerebral EC differentiation at the gene regulatory level. Here, we report that BMP6 activates the activin receptor-like kinase (ALK) 3, a BMP type 1 receptor, to induce Notch1 receptor and Jagged1 and Jagged2 ligands. We show that increased expression of the Notch components alters the transcriptional regulatory complex in the SRY-Box 2 (Sox2) promoter region so as to induce its expression in cerebral ECs. Together, our results identify Sox2 as a direct target of BMP and Notch signaling and provide information on how altered BMP and Notch signaling affects the endothelial transcriptional landscape.

Keywords: Notch; Sox2; bone morphogenetic protein; endothelial cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Activin Receptors, Type I / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Activin Receptors, Type I / genetics
  • Activin Receptors, Type I / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / genetics
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / metabolism*
  • Brain / cytology
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / genetics
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Jagged-1 Protein / genetics
  • Jagged-1 Protein / metabolism
  • Jagged-2 Protein / genetics
  • Jagged-2 Protein / metabolism
  • Matrix Gla Protein
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA Interference
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Receptor, Notch1 / genetics
  • Receptor, Notch1 / metabolism*
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / genetics
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins
  • Jagged-1 Protein
  • Jagged-2 Protein
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptor, Notch1
  • SOXB1 Transcription Factors
  • Activin Receptors, Type I