iScience (Oct 2023)

Neuroepithelial cell-transforming 1 promotes cardiac fibrosis via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

  • Tianyu Li,
  • Xue Xiong,
  • Yujing Wang,
  • Yue Li,
  • Yao Liu,
  • Mingxiu Zhang,
  • Chao Li,
  • Tong Yu,
  • Wei Cao,
  • Shuangshuang Chen,
  • Huizhen Zhang,
  • Xiaona Wang,
  • Lifang Lv,
  • Yuhong Zhou,
  • Haihai Liang,
  • Xuelian Li,
  • Hongli Shan

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 10
p. 107888

Abstract

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Summary: This study found that the level of neuroepithelial cell-transforming gene 1 protein (NET1) was significantly increased in a mouse cardiac fibrosis model. Moreover, the expression level of NET1 was increased in cardiac fibrosis induced by TGF-β1, suggesting that NET1 was involved in the pathological process of cardiac fibrosis. Overexpression of NET1 promoted β-catenin expression in the nucleus and significantly increased the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts. NET1 may form a complex with β-catenin through GSK3β. Knockdown of β-catenin alleviated the effects of NET1 overexpression on collagen production and cell migration. In the heart of NET1 knockout mice, NET1 knockout can reduce the expression of β-catenin, α-SMA, and collagen content induced by MI. In conclusion, NET1 may regulate the activation of Wnt/β-catenin and TGF/Smads signaling pathway, promote collagen synthesis in fibroblasts, and participate in cardiac fibrosis. Thus, NET1 may be a potential therapeutic target in cardiac fibrosis.

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