The molecular mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of atherosclerotic lesions have not been fully established. Here, we investigated the role played by endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and its key regulator FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) in atherosclerosis. In cultured human endothelial cells, both inflammatory cytokines and oscillatory shear stress reduced endothelial FGFR1 expression and activated TGF-β signaling. We further explored the link between disrupted FGF endothelial signaling and progression of atherosclerosis by introducing endothelial-specific deletion of FGF receptor substrate 2 α (
Pei-Yu Chen, Lingfeng Qin, Nicolas Baeyens, Guangxin Li, Titilayo Afolabi, Madhusudhan Budatha, George Tellides, Martin A. Schwartz, Michael Simons
Effect of endothelial FGF signaling suppression on inflammation and EndMT marker gene expression in mice.