P130Cas/bcar1 mediates zebrafish caudal vein plexus angiogenesis

Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 24;10(1):15589. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71753-w.

Abstract

P130CAS/BCAR1 belongs to the CAS family of adaptor proteins, with important regulatory roles in cell migration, cell cycle control, and apoptosis. Previously, we and others showed that P130CAS mediates VEGF-A and PDGF signalling in vitro, but its cardiovascular function in vivo remains relatively unexplored. We characterise here a novel deletion model of P130CAS in zebrafish. Using in vivo microscopy and transgenic vascular reporters, we observed that while bcar1-/- zebrafish showed no arterial angiogenic or heart defects during development, they strikingly failed to form the caudal vein plexus (CVP). Endothelial cells (ECs) within the CVP of bcar1-/- embryos produced fewer filopodial structures and did not detach efficiently from neighbouring cells, resulting in a significant reduction in ventral extension and overall CVP area. Mechanistically, we show that P130Cas mediates Bmp2b-induced ectopic angiogenic sprouting of ECs in the developing embryo and provide pharmacological evidence for a role of Src family kinases in CVP development.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / embryology
  • Animals, Genetically Modified / physiology*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / genetics
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / cytology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian / physiology*
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic*
  • Veins / embryology
  • Veins / physiology*
  • Zebrafish / embryology
  • Zebrafish / physiology*
  • Zebrafish Proteins / genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • bmp2b protein, zebrafish