Activin A and ALK4 Identified as Novel Regulators of Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in Human Epicardial Cells

• DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.765007
• Publication Date: 2021-12-16T13:05:44Z
• Authors: Esther Dronkers; Tessa van Herwaarden; Thomas J van Brakel; Gonzalo Sanchez-D...; Marie-José Goumans; Anke M Smits
• Keywords: Regenerative Medicine

The epicardium, the mesothelial layer covering heart, is a crucial cell source for cardiac development and repair. It provides cells biochemical signals to heart facilitate vascularization myocardial growth. An essential element of epicardial behavior epithelial mesenchymal transition (epiMT), which initial step become motile invade myocardium. To identify targets optimize epicardium-driven repair it vital understand pathways are involved in regulation epiMT. Therefore, we established culture model human primary adult fetal epiMT, allows parallel testing inhibitors stimulants specific pathways. Using this approach, reveal Activin A ALK4 signaling as novel regulators independent commonly accepted EMT inducer TGFβ. Importantly, was able induce invasion cultured embryonic mouse hearts. Our results A/ALK4 modulator plasticity may be exploitable regenerative medicine.