Work

Increased Hox activity mimics the teratogenic effects of excess retinoic acid signaling

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: Excess retinoic acid (RA) signaling can be teratogenic and result in cardiac birth defects, but the cellular and molecular origins of these defects are not well understood. Excessive RA signaling can completely eliminate heart formation in the zebrafish embryo. However, atrial and ventricular cells are differentially sensitive to more modest increases in RA signaling. Increased Hox activity, downstream of RA signaling, causes phenotypes similar to those resulting from excess RA. These results suggest that Hox activity mediates the differential effects of ectopic RA on atrial and ventricular cardiomyocytes and may underlie the teratogenic effects of RA on the heart.

Source: Developmental Dynamics

DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21951

Authors: Joshua S. Waxman, Deborah Yelon

Institutions: NYU Langone Health, New York University

Language: English

Topic: Congenital heart defects research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute