Retinoic acid controls vascular formation by activating transcription of aryl hydrocarbon receptor gene in medakafish Oryzias latipes

Sada Naotaka

Hanafusa Takahiro

Onizuka Yuichi

Hayashida Yasufumi

Kageyama Shota

Yamashita Ichiro

Retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to have a role in vascular formation, but how it affects is not fully understood. Previously, we reported that RA and its nuclear receptor (RAR) is required for transcription of ahr1 encoding an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), and that pharmacological modulation of RA, RAR, and AHR impairs the formation of common cardinal veins (CCVs) on the yolk of medakafish embryos. Here, to delineate a role for ahr1 in the vascular formation, we used an antisense-ahr1 mRNA to suppress ahr1. Following the development of vegfr1-expressing angioblast cells, we show that the antisense-ahr1 greatly inhibited the accumulation of angioblasts at the prospective branchial arch (PBA) where CCVs begin to develop on the yolk and the following CCV formation, demonstrating for the first time the essential role of ahr1 in the embryonic vascular formation of vertebrates. We also show that rarα and ahr1 mRNAs are co-expressed at PBA, suggesting a possible role of the specific expression.

arly hydrocarbon receptor

common cardinal vein

retinoic acid

retinoic acid receptor

medakafish

eng

Copyright (c) 2019 by Authors

[Created] 2019-06-07