PUBLICATION

The alternative splicing factor Nova2 regulates vascular development and lumen formation

Authors
Giampietro, C., Deflorian, G., Gallo, S., Di Matteo, A., Pradella, D., Bonomi, S., Belloni, E., Nyqvist, D., Quaranta, V., Confalonieri, S., Bertalot, G., Orsenigo, F., Pisati, F., Ferrero, E., Biamonti, G., Fredrickx, E., Taveggia, C., Wyatt, C.D., Irimia, M., Di Fiore, P.P., Blencowe, B.J., Dejana, E., Ghigna, C.
ID
ZDB-PUB-230728-107
Date
2015
Source
Nature communications   6: 84798479 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Deflorian, Gianluca, Irimia, Manuel
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Alternative Splicing/physiology*
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics
  • Antigens, Neoplasm/metabolism*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Endothelial Cells/metabolism*
  • Endothelium, Vascular/physiology*
  • Mice
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology*
  • Neuro-Oncological Ventral Antigen
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics
  • RNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
PubMed
26446569 Full text @ Nat. Commun.
Abstract
Vascular lumen formation is a fundamental step during angiogenesis; yet, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Recent studies have shown that neural and vascular systems share common anatomical, functional and molecular similarities. Here we show that the organization of endothelial lumen is controlled at the post-transcriptional level by the alternative splicing (AS) regulator Nova2, which was previously considered to be neural cell-specific. Nova2 is expressed during angiogenesis and its depletion disrupts vascular lumen formation in vivo. Similarly, Nova2 depletion in cultured endothelial cells (ECs) impairs the apical distribution and the downstream signalling of the Par polarity complex, resulting in altered EC polarity, a process required for vascular lumen formation. These defects are linked to AS changes of Nova2 target exons affecting the Par complex and its regulators. Collectively, our results reveal that Nova2 functions as an AS regulator in angiogenesis and is a novel member of the 'angioneurins' family.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping