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</script>A complex regulatory network of morphogens and transcription factors is essential for normal cardiac development. Nkx2-5 is among the earliest known markers of cardiac mesoderm that is central to the regulatory pathways mediating second heart field (SHF) development. Here, we have examined the specific requirements for Nkx2-5 in the SHF progenitors. We show that Nkx2-5 potentiates Wnt signaling by regulating the expression of the R-spondin3 (Rspo3) gene during cardiogenesis. R-spondins are secreted factors and potent Wnt agonists that in part regulate stem cell proliferation. Our data show that Rspo3 is markedly downregulated in Nkx2-5 mutants and that Rspo3 expression is regulated by Nkx2-5. Conditional inactivation of Rspo3 in the Isl1 lineage resulted in embryonic lethality secondary to impaired development of SHF. More importantly, we find that Wnt signaling is significantly attenuated in Nkx2-5 mutants and that enhancing Wnt/β-catenin signaling by pharmacological treatment or by transgenic expression of Rspo3 rescues the SHF defects in the conditional Nkx2-5+/− mutants. We have identified a previously unrecognized genetic link between Nkx2-5 and Wnt signaling that supports continued cardiac growth and proliferation during development. Identification of Rspo3 in cardiac development provides a new paradigm in temporal regulation of Wnt signaling by cardiac-specific transcription factors.
Homeodomain Proteins, Male, Base Sequence, Stem Cells, Molecular Sequence Data, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Heart, Mice, Transgenic, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Mutation, Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5, Animals, Cell Lineage, Female, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Thrombospondins, Cell Proliferation, Endocardium
Homeodomain Proteins, Male, Base Sequence, Stem Cells, Molecular Sequence Data, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Heart, Mice, Transgenic, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid, Mutation, Homeobox Protein Nkx-2.5, Animals, Cell Lineage, Female, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Thrombospondins, Cell Proliferation, Endocardium
| citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 65 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Top 10% | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
