Understanding the role of beta-catenin for angiogenesis

• Project/Area Number: 24790304
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: TERAI KENTA 東京大学, 分子細胞生物学研究所, 助教 (20616073)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KASHIWADA Takeru
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,550,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,050,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: ゼブラフィッシュ / 血管新生 / 次世代シークエンサー / ベータカテニン / 血管形成

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Angiogenesis is an essential event for animal development. Beta-catenin is a well-known molecule for regulating angiogenesis. Lack of beta-catenin in blood vessel cells cause vascular abnormality and poor development in mouse. However when and where beta-catenin is activated is not well known. To understand and visualize beta-catenin activity, we generated transgenic zebrafish which represents beta-catenin transcriptional activity in living fish.
By using the fish, we identified that beta-catenin activated cells during caudal vein plexuses formation. Furthermore, the activity of beta-catenin is positively regulated by Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) dependent AnGiogenic factor with G patch and FHA domains 1 (AGGF1) expression. The activation of beta-catenin in CVP is dispensable for cell survival and cell differentiation.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] β-Catenin-dependent transcription is central to Bmp-mediated formation of venous vessels. (2015)
  • Author(s): Kashiwada T, Fukuhara S (Co-corresponding author), Terai K, Tanaka T, Wakayama Y, Ando K, Nakajima H, Fukui H, Yuge S, Saito Y, Gemma A, Mochizuki N.
  • Journal Title: Development Volume: 142 Pages: 497-509
  • DOI: 10.1242/dev.115576
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant