Cited by 181Congenital heart defects researchDevelopmental Biology and Gene RegulationAtherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases

Smooth Muscle Cells Derived From Second Heart Field and Cardiac Neural Crest Reside in Spatially Distinct Domains in the Media of the Ascending Aorta—Brief Report

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Sawada, Hisashi, Rateri, Debra L., Moorleghen, Jessica J., Majesky, Mark W., Daugherty, Alan·2017·Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology

Abstract

Objective—: Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the proximal thoracic aorta are embryonically derived from the second heart field (SHF) and cardiac neural crest (CNC). However, distributions of these embryonic origins are not fully defined. The regional distribution of SMCs of different origins is speculated to cause region-specific aortopathies. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the distribution of SMCs of SHF and CNC origins in the proximal thoracic aorta. Approach and Results—: Mice with repressed LacZ in the ROSA26 locus were bred to those expressing Cre controlled by either the Wnt1 or Mef2c (myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2c) promoter to trace CNC- and SHF-derived SMCs, respectively. Thoracic aortas were harvested, and activity of β-galactosidase was determined. Aortas from Wnt1- Cre mice had β-galactosidase–positive areas throughout the region from the proximal ascending aorta to just distal of the subclavian arterial branch. Unexpectedly, β-galactosidase–positive areas in Mef2c- Cre mice extended from the aortic root throughout the ascending aorta. This distribution occurred independent of sex and aging. Cross and sagittal aortic sections demonstrated that CNC-derived cells populated the inner medial aspect of the anterior region of the ascending aorta and transmurally in the media of the posterior region. Interestingly, outer medial cells throughout anterior and posterior ascending aortas were derived from the SHF. β-Galactosidase–positive medial cells of both origins colocalized with an SMC marker, α-actin. Conclusions—: Both CNC- and SHF-derived SMCs populate the media throughout the ascending aorta. The outer medial cells of the ascending aorta form a sleeve populated by SHF-derived SMCs.

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Crossref · 10.1161/atvbaha.117.309599

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  • There is evidence for positional identity among VSMCs along the anterior-posterior, dorso-ventral, and right-left axes of the embryo.

    “Furthermore, there is evidence for positional identity among VSMCs along the anterior-posterior, dorso-ventral, and right-left axes of the embryo 28-30 .”

    From Vascular smooth muscle cells in atherosclerosis (2019) · cites this paper as [28]

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Authors
Sawada, H., Rateri, D. L., Moorleghen, J. J., Majesky, M. W., & Daugherty, A.
Affiliations
University of Kentucky (US)
Venue
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology
Published
2017-09
Volume
37
Issue
9
Pages
1722-1726
ISSN
  • 1079-5642 (ISSN-L)
  • 1524-4636
OpenAlex
W2732679781
Cited by
181
References
20
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 5
FWCI
5.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL107319, R01HL133723)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Congenital heart defects research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
Keywords
smooth muscle cells, second heart field, cardiac neural crest, ascending aorta, aortic media, Wnt1, MEF2C, lineage tracing, aortopathy, alpha-actin
MeSH terms
Age Factors, Animals, Aorta, Thoracic, beta-Galactosidase, Female, Genotype, Heart, Lac Operon, Male, Mice, Transgenic, Morphogenesis, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Myocardium, Neural Crest, Phenotype, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Sex Factors, Tunica Media, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Cell Lineage, Integrases, RNA, Untranslated, Myocytes, Smooth Muscle, Wnt1 Protein, MEF2 Transcription Factors

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