Slug is a mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation in the developing chicken heart.
An epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation occurs during the development of the endocardial cushions in the atrioventricular (AV) canal of the heart. We hypothesized that the transcription factor Slug is required for this epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation since Slug is required for similar transformations during gastrulation and neural crest differentiation in chicken embryos. We found by RT-PCR and immunostaining that the temporal and spatial localization of Slug in the embryonic chicken heart is consistent with a role for Slug in endocardial cushion formation. Moreover, we found that Slug expression by AV canal endothelial cells is induced by a signal provided by AV canal myocardium. Slug appears to be required for epithelial-mesenchymal cell transformation in the chicken heart since treatment of AV canal explants with antisense Slug oligodeoxynucleotides inhibited mesenchymal cell formation in vitro. Antisense Slug oligodeoxynucleotides prevented endothelial cell-cell separation, suggesting that Slug acts early in the transformation pathway.
Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85724, USA.
L A
LA
Romano
R B
RB
Runyan
D000818:Animals; D002411:Cation Exchange Resins / Q000494:pharmacology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004727:Endothelium / Q000196:embryology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008055:Lipids / Q000494:pharmacology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology*
D002411:Cation Exchange Resins; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008055:Lipids; C086724:Lipofectamine; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors