title: Generation of transgenic mice overexpressing EfnB2 in endothelial cells.
abstract: Genetic studies have shown that ephrin-B2 and its cognate EphB4 receptor are necessary for normal embryonic angiogenesis. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that ephrin-B2 is involved in tumor vascularization, yet its role in adult angiogenesis has been difficult to track genetically. Here, we report the generation of transgenic mice that over-express EfnB2 specifically in endothelial cells (ECs). We show that exogenous expression of EfnB2 under the control of the Tie2 promoter/enhancer regions in ECs does not affect viability or growth of the transgenic animals. We further show that targeted expression of EfnB2 in ECs is not sufficient to rescue severe cardiovascular defects at mid-gestation stages but rescues early embryonic lethality associated with loss-of-function mutation in EfnB2. This mouse model will be useful to study the role of ephrin-B2 in physiological and pathological angiogenesis.
authors: Centre de Biologie du Développement, CNRS, Université de Toulouse, UPS, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France.
authors: Maëva
authors: M
authors: Luxey
authors: Julien
authors: J
authors: Laussu
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Jungas
authors: Alice
authors: A
authors: Davy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D036388:Ephrin-B2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D036224:Receptor, EphB4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D036388:Ephrin-B2; C086681:Ephb4 protein, mouse; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D036224:Receptor, EphB4; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; C079086:Tek protein, mouse