Aucubin Protects against TGFβ1-Induced Cardiac Fibroblasts Activation by Mediating the AMPKα/mTOR Signaling Pathway

Planta Medica ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (02) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Xiao ◽  
Wei Chang ◽  
Qing-Qing Wu ◽  
Xiao-Han Jiang ◽  
Ming-Xia Duan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Compound C ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractFibrosis is a key feature of various cardiovascular diseases and compromises cardiac systolic and diastolic performance. The lack of effective anti-fibrosis drugs is a major contributor to the increasing prevalence of heart failure. The present study was performed to investigate whether the iridoid aucubin alleviates cardiac fibroblast activation and its underlying mechanisms. Neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts were incubated with aucubin (1, 10, 20, 50 µM) followed by transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1, 10 ng/mL) stimulation for 24 h. Fibrosis proliferation was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay. The differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts was determined by measuring the expression of α-smooth muscle actin. Then, the expressions levels of cardiac fibrosis-related proteins in myofibroblasts were analyzed by western blot and real-time PCR to confirm the anti-fibrosis effect of aucubin. As a result, aucubin suppressed TGFβ1-induced proliferation in fibroblasts and inhibited the TGFβ1-induced activation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. In addition, aucubin further attenuated fibrosis-related protein expression in myofibroblasts. Furthermore, this protective effect was related to increased adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and decreased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation, which was confirmed by an mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), an AMPK agonist (AICAR) and an AMPKα inhibitor compound C. Collectively, our findings suggest that aucubin protects against TGFβ1-induced fibroblast proliferation, activation and function by regulating the AMPKα/mTOR signal axis.

scholarly journals The AP-1 Transcription Factor Fosl-2 Regulates Autophagy in Cardiac Fibroblasts during Myocardial Fibrogenesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1861
Author(s):  
Jemima Seidenberg ◽  
Mara Stellato ◽  
Amela Hukara ◽  
Burkhard Ludewig ◽  
Karin Klingel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Type I Collagen ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Beclin 1 ◽  
Type I ◽  
Alpha Smooth Muscle Actin

Background: Pathological activation of cardiac fibroblasts is a key step in development and progression of cardiac fibrosis and heart failure. This process has been associated with enhanced autophagocytosis, but molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Methods and Results: Immunohistochemical analysis of endomyocardial biopsies showed increased activation of autophagy in fibrotic hearts of patients with inflammatory cardiomyopathy. In vitro experiments using mouse and human cardiac fibroblasts confirmed that blockade of autophagy with Bafilomycin A1 inhibited fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. Next, we observed that cardiac fibroblasts obtained from mice overexpressing transcription factor Fos-related antigen 2 (Fosl-2tg) expressed elevated protein levels of autophagy markers: the lipid modified form of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3B (LC3BII), Beclin-1 and autophagy related 5 (Atg5). In complementary experiments, silencing of Fosl-2 with antisense GapmeR oligonucleotides suppressed production of type I collagen, myofibroblast marker alpha smooth muscle actin and autophagy marker Beclin-1 in cardiac fibroblasts. On the other hand, silencing of either LC3B or Beclin-1 reduced Fosl-2 levels in TGF-β-activated, but not in unstimulated cells. Using a cardiac hypertrophy model induced by continuous infusion of angiotensin II with osmotic minipumps, we confirmed that mice lacking either Fosl-2 (Ccl19CreFosl2flox/flox) or Atg5 (Ccl19CreAtg5flox/flox) in stromal cells were protected from cardiac fibrosis. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that Fosl-2 regulates autophagocytosis and the TGF-β-Fosl-2-autophagy axis controls differentiation of cardiac fibroblasts. These data provide a new insight for the development of pharmaceutical targets in cardiac fibrosis.

Ibuprofen Attenuates Cardiac Fibrosis in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Cardiology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 131 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weili Qiao ◽  
Cheng Wang ◽  
Bing Chen ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Yaowu Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Renin Angiotensin System ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Diabetic Rats ◽  
Diabetic Group ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tgf Β1

Objective: To investigate the effects of ibuprofen on cardiac fibrosis in a rat model of type 1 diabetes. Methods: The diabetic model was established by injecting streptozotocin into the rats. Then, ibuprofen or pioglitazone was given by gavage for 8 weeks. The cardiac fibrosis was assessed, and the major components of the renin-angiotensin system, the transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), were evaluated by histopathological, immunohistochemical, Western blot analysis or ELISA assay. Results: Obvious cardiac fibrosis was detected in the diabetic group and was alleviated by ibuprofen treatment. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin (Ang) II and AngII type 1 receptor (AT1-R) levels were higher, and ACE2, Ang(1-7) and Mas receptor (Mas-R) were lower in the diabetic group. The ratio of ACE to ACE2 was raised in the diabetic group. All these changes were ameliorated by ibuprofen. TGF-β1 and mTOR were raised in the hearts of the diabetic group and were attenuated by ibuprofen treatment. There was no significant difference between the ibuprofen and the pioglitazone groups. Conclusion: Ibuprofen could ameliorate the cardiac fibrosis in diabetic rats by reduction of the ACE/AngII/AT1-R axis and enhancement of the ACE2/Ang(1-7)/Mas-R axis, leading to a decrease in TGF-β1 and mTOR.

Abstract 370: MicroRNA-19b Contributes to Cardiac Fibrosis

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Chen ◽  
Dongchao Lv ◽  
Jiahong Xu ◽  
Qiulian Zhou ◽  
Qi Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Suppressor Gene ◽  
Tissue Growth ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Proliferation And Migration

Fibrosis is one of the most important characteristics of cardiac remodeling during heart failure. The accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) within myocardium is the major feature of cardiac fibrosis. microRNA (miR)-19b, a key functional member of miR-19-72 cluster family, has been suggested to be involved in aging-induced heart failure through regulating ECM-related proteins, such as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), collagen-1A1, and collagen-3A1. In the current study, we aimed to investigate the role of miR-19b in cardiac fibroblast function and ECM production using neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts in primary culture. We found that overexpression of miR-19b increased, while inhibition of miR-19b decreased the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts, using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) (0.660±0.019 vs 0.720±0.014 in nc-mimic and miR-19b mimic, 0.506±0.009 vs 0.454±0.008 in nc-inhibitor and miR-19b inhibitor, respectively), EdU incorporation assay (0.059±0.002 vs 0.096±0.006 in nc-mimic and miR-19b mimic, 0.059±0.006 vs 0.040±0.003 in nc-inhibitor and miR-19b inhibitor, respectively), and wound healing assay (0.528±0.024 vs 0.896±0.027 in nc-mimic and miR-19b mimic,0.520±0.028 vs 0.174±0.019 in nc-inhibitor and miR-19b inhibitor, respectively), respectively. Meanwhile, the inhibition of miR-19b downregulated the mRNA levels of α-SMA (0.556±0.048 vs 1.038±0.137 in nc-inhibitor and miR-19b inhibitor, respectively) and collagen-1 (1.023±0.116 vs 0.551±0.033 in nc-inhibitor and miR-19b inhibitor, respectively) in cardiac fibroblasts, indicating a reduction in fibroblast activation and ECM production via miR-19b inhibition. Furthermore, we found that PTEN was negatively regulated by miR-19b in cardiac fibroblasts using western blot analysis. PTEN, a well-known tumor-suppressor gene, has been known to inhibit cell proliferation and migration. However, it remains to be further clarified whether PTEN could mediate the effect of miR-19b in the proliferation, migration and activation of fibroblasts. These data might provide important evidence suggesting that miR-19b could be a potential therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

scholarly journals MicroRNA-9 inhibits high glucose-induced proliferation, differentiation and collagen accumulation of cardiac fibroblasts by down-regulation of TGFBR2

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaxin Li ◽  
Yingnan Dai ◽  
Zhendong Su ◽  
Guoqian Wei
Keyword(s):  
Protective Effect ◽  
High Glucose ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Cell Counting ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Down Regulation ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Collagen Accumulation

To investigate the effects of miR-9 on high glucose (HG)-induced cardiac fibrosis in human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs), and to establish the mechanism underlying these effects. HCFs were transfected with miR-9 inhibitor or mimic, and then treated with normal or HG. Cell viability and proliferation were detected by using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and Brdu-ELISA assay. Cell differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot assays respectively. The mRNA and protein expressions of transforming growth factor-β receptor type II (TGFBR2) were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Up-regulation of miR-9 dramatically improved HG-induced increases in cell proliferation, differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs. Moreover, bioinformatics analysis predicted that the TGFBR2 was a potential target gene of miR-9. Luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-9 could directly target TGFBR2. Inhibition of TGFBR2 had the similar effect as miR-9 overexpression. Down-regulation of TGFBR2 in HCFs transfected with miR-9 inhibitor partially reversed the protective effect of miR-9 overexpression on HG-induced cardiac fibrosis in HCFs. Up-regulation of miR-9 ameliorates HG-induced proliferation, differentiation and collagen accumulation of HCFs by down-regulation of TGFBR2. These results provide further evidence for protective effect of miR-9 overexpression on HG-induced cardiac fibrosis.

scholarly journals Metformin Attenuates Silica-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Activating Autophagy via the AMPK-mTOR Signaling Pathway

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-xian Li ◽  
Chao Li ◽  
Xin-ru Pang ◽  
Juan Zhang ◽  
Gong-chang Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Mammalian Target Of Rapamycin ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Silica Particles ◽  
Protein Levels

Long-term exposure to crystalline silica particles leads to silicosis characterized by persistent inflammation and progressive fibrosis in the lung. So far, there is no specific treatment to cure the disease other than supportive care. In this study, we examined the effects of metformin, a prescribed drug for type || diabetes on silicosis and explored the possible mechanisms in an established rat silicosis model in vivo, and an in vitro co-cultured model containing human macrophages cells (THP-1) and human bronchial epithelial cells (HBEC). Our results showed that metformin significantly alleviated the inflammation and fibrosis of lung tissues of rats exposed to silica particles. Metformin significantly reduced silica particle-induced inflammatory cytokines including transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in rat lung tissue and HBEC culture supernatant. The protein levels of Vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were significantly decreased by metfomin while expression level of E-cadherin (E-Cad) increased. Besides, metformin increased the expression levels of phosphorylated adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK), microtubule-associated protein (MAP) light chain 3B (LC3B) and Beclin1 proteins, and reduced levels of phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) and p62 proteins in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that metformin could inhibit silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis by activating autophagy through the AMPK-mTOR pathway.

Abstract 430: Immature Cardiac Fibroblasts With Upregulated P53 Contributed to Fibrosis in Ikke Deficient Mouse Myocardial Infarction Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 127 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Sook Kim ◽  
Hyang Hee Cho ◽  
Ju Hee Jun ◽  
Dong Im Cho ◽  
Meeyoung Cho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Wound Healing Process ◽  
Coronary Artery Ligation ◽  
Artery Ligation

Background: Inhibitor of NF-κB kinase (IKK), an upstream of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), is a critical modulator for pathophysiological inflammation. IKKε is a non-classical IKK and has been studied in infectious diseases and cancers. However, the role of IKKε in a myocardial infarction (MI) has not been addressed. Methods and Results: In this study, we used IKKε knockout (KO) mice to induce MI by coronary artery ligation. The IKKε KO group showed poor early survival rate, large cardiac fibrosis (14.7±4.8% in KO vs. 31.1±10.2% in WT, p <0.05), and low fractional shortening (13.47±1.21% in KO vs. 16.36±4.46% in WT, p <0.05) compared with WT group. Next, we investigated the inflammatory responses and found that inflammatory markers such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and CD80 were much higher in both cardiac macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) in the IKKε KO group than in the wild type (WT) group. To explore the responsible mediator, we performed phosphorylated protein array and found phosphorylated p38 was significantly downregulated in the IKKε knockout BMDM. Conversely, both knockdown of p38 by siRNA and inhibition of p38 by SB203580 treatment in RAW264.7 cells upregulated iNOS. More interestingly, IKKε deficient cardiac fibroblasts showed highly accumulated nuclear p53 and exhibited immature differentiation. The levels of myofibroblast markers containing α-smooth muscle actin, periostin, and transforming growth factor-β1 were lower, and functional contractility was substantially impaired in the cardiac fibroblasts isolated from IKKε KO mice. Conclusion: Our data showed excessive inflammation was associated with p38 inactivation in macrophages and pathological fibrosis was resulted from immature myofibroblast phenotype with p53 upregulation. Collectively, IKKε is involved in the control of inflammation resolution and wound healing process in the infarcted myocardium.

scholarly journals Tripartite Motif Protein 72 Regulates the Proliferation and Migration of Rat Cardiac Fibroblasts via the Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling Pathway

Cardiology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 340-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianquan Zhao ◽  
Han Lei
Keyword(s):  
Growth Factor ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Neonatal Rat ◽  
Tripartite Motif ◽  
Tripartite Motif Protein ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Proliferation And Migration

Background: The proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts are critical for the progress of cardiac fibrosis. Tripartite motif protein 72 (Trim72), also known as MG53, mediates the dynamic process of membrane fusion and exocytosis in striated muscle. However, the role of Trim72 in the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts is unknown. Methods: In the present study, we used small interference RNA (siRNA) to silence Trim72 and then investigated the effects of Trim72 on cardiac fibroblast proliferation and migration, which were activated during cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction. Cardiac fibroblasts were isolated from 2- to 3-day-old neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats and transfected with siRNA. A cell-counting assay was used to determine the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts. A Boyden chamber assay was performed to determine the migration of cardiac fibroblasts. Results: Our study has, for the first time, demonstrated that Trim72 regulates the cell proliferation and migration of rat cardiac fibroblasts. Furthermore, the data from the gene expression profile microarray analysis indicate that Trim72 depletion can cause downregulation of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway, suggesting that Trim72 regulates the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts probably via the TGF-β signaling pathway. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that Trim72 might play a pivotal role in the proliferation of neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts, which could be a potential target for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis. However, the involvement of other signaling pathways and factors in the formation of cardiac fibrosis cannot be excluded.

scholarly journals Role for high-glucose-induced protein O-GlcNAcylation in stimulating cardiac fibroblast collagen synthesis

2014 ◽  
Vol 306 (9) ◽  
pp. C794-C804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Aguilar ◽  
Eduardo Fricovsky ◽  
Sang Ihm ◽  
Magdalena Schimke ◽  
Lisandro Maya-Ramos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Glucose ◽  
Collagen Synthesis ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Cardiac Fibroblasts ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Normal Glucose ◽  
Arginase Ii ◽  
Tgf Β1

Excess enzyme-mediated protein O-GlcNAcylation is known to occur with diabetes mellitus. A characteristic of diabetic cardiomyopathy is the development of myocardial fibrosis. The role that enhanced protein O-GlcNAcylation plays in modulating the phenotype of cardiac fibroblasts (CF) is unknown. To address this issue, rat CF were cultured in normal glucose (NG; 5 mM glucose) or high-glucose (HG; 25 mM) media for 48 h. Results demonstrate that CF cultured in HG have higher levels (∼50%) of overall protein O-GlcNAcylation vs. NG cells. Key regulators of collagen synthesis such as transforming-growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), SMADs 2/3, and SMAD 7 protein levels, including those of arginase I and II, were altered, leading to increases in collagen levels. The nuclear transcription factor Sp1 and arginase II evidence excess O-GlcNAcylation in HG cells. Expression in CF of an adenovirus coding for the enzyme N-acetylglucosaminidase, which removes O-GlcNAc moieties from proteins, decreased Sp1 and arginase II O-GlcNAcylation and restored HG-induced perturbations in CF back to NG levels. These findings may have important pathophysiological implications for the development of diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis.

Evodiamine Prevents Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis by Regulating Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition

Planta Medica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (09) ◽  
pp. 761-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-han Jiang ◽  
Qing-qing Wu ◽  
Yang Xiao ◽  
Yuan Yuan ◽  
Zheng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smooth Muscle ◽  
Cardiac Fibrosis ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Heart Weight ◽  
Muscle Actin ◽  
Mesenchymal Transition ◽  
Expression Levels ◽  
Endothelial To Mesenchymal Transition

AbstractEvodiamine, a major component of Evodia rutaecarpa, can protect the myocardium against injury induced by atherosclerosis and ischemia-reperfusion. However, the effect of evodiamine against cardiac fibrosis remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the possible effect and mechanism involved in the function of evodiamine on isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Isoproterenol was used to induce cardiac fibrosis in mice, and evodiamine was gavaged simultaneously. After 14 days, cardiac function was accessed by echocardiography. The extent of cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy was evaluated by pathological and molecular analyses. The extent of endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition was evaluated by the expression levels of CD31, CD34, α-smooth muscle actin, and vimentin by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis. After 14 days, the heart weight/body weight ratio and heart weight/tibia length ratio revealed no significant difference between the isoproterenol group and the isoproterenol/evodiamine-treated groups, whereas the increased heart weight was reduced in the isoproterenol/evodiamine-treated groups. Echocardiography revealed that interventricular septal thickness and left ventricular posterior wall thickness at the end diastole decreased in the evodiamine-treated groups. Evodiamine reduced isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis as accessed by normalization in collagen deposition and gene expression of hypertrophic and fibrotic markers. Evodiamine also prevented endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition as evidenced by the increased expression levels of CD31 and CD34, decreased expression levels of α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin, and increased microvascular density in the isoproterenol/evodiamine-treated mice hearts. Furthermore, isoproterenol-induced activation of transforming growth factor-β1/Smad signal was also blunted by evodiamine. Therefore, evodiamine may prevent isoproterenol-induced cardiac fibrosis by regulating endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, which is probably mediated by the blockage of the transforming growth factor-β1/Smad pathway.

scholarly journals β-Catenin and Smad3 regulate the activity and stability of myocardin-related transcription factor during epithelial–myofibroblast transition

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (23) ◽  
pp. 4472-4485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Charbonney ◽  
Pam Speight ◽  
András Masszi ◽  
Hiroyasu Nakano ◽  
András Kapus
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Serum Response Factor ◽  
Glycogen Synthase ◽  
Smooth Muscle Actin ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor Β1 ◽  
Down Regulation ◽  
Carg Box ◽  
Related Transcription Factor ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Injury to the adherens junctions (AJs) synergizes with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ) to activate a myogenic program (α-smooth muscle actin [SMA] expression) in the epithelium during epithelial–myofibroblast transition (EMyT). Although this synergy plays a key role in organ fibrosis, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully defined. Because we recently showed that Smad3 inhibits myocardin-related transcription factor (MRTF), the driver of the SMA promoter and many other CC(A/T)-rich GG element (CArG) box–dependent cytoskeletal genes, we asked whether AJ components might affect SMA expression through interfering with Smad3. We demonstrate that E-cadherin down-regulation potentiates, whereas β-catenin knockdown inhibits, SMA expression. Contact injury and TGFβ enhance the binding of β-catenin to Smad3, and this interaction facilitates MRTF signaling by two novel mechanisms. First, it inhibits the Smad3/MRTF association and thereby allows the binding of MRTF to its myogenic partner, serum response factor (SRF). Accordingly, β-catenin down-regulation disrupts the SRF/MRTF complex. Second, β-catenin maintains the stability of MRTF by suppressing the Smad3-mediated recruitment of glycogen synthase kinase-3β to MRTF, an event that otherwise leads to MRTF ubiquitination and degradation and the consequent loss of SRF/MRTF–dependent proteins. Thus β-catenin controls MRTF-dependent transcription and emerges as a critical regulator of an array of cytoskeletal genes, the “CArGome.”

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