title: Different roles of Foxo1 and Foxo3 in the control of endothelial cell morphology.
abstract: Foxo1, a member of the Foxo subfamily of forkhead box transcription factors, is known to be essential for progression of normal vascular development in the mouse embryos. In the cultures of endothelial cells derived from embryonic stem cells, Foxo1-deficient endothelial cells exhibit an abnormal morphological response to vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), which is characterized by a lack of cell elongation, yet the molecular mechanisms governing endothelial cell morphology under angiogenic stimulation remain unknown. Here, we report that transforming growth actor-beta also induces endothelial cell elongation in collaboration with Foxo1 and VEGF-A. Furthermore, tetracycline-regulated induction of Foxo3, another member of the Foxo subfamily, into Foxo1-null endothelial cells failed to restore abnormal morphological response to VEGF-A at an early differentiation stage. In contrast, Foxo1 and Foxo3 exerted the same function at a late differentiation stage, i.e. enhancement of VEGF responsiveness and promotion of cell elongation. Our results provide evidence that endothelial cell morphology is regulated by several mechanisms in which Foxo1 and Foxo3 express distinct functional properties depending on differentiation stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Differentiation, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsukawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawasuji
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Furuyama
authors.forename: Minetaro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014162:Transfection; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology; D000099152:Cadherin 5
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015820:Cadherins; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000099152:Cadherin 5; C474033:FoxO3 protein, mouse; C467200:Foxo1 protein, mouse