Endothelial Cells from different anatomical origin have distinct responses during Snail/TGF-β2-mediated Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) is a complex process, in which differentiated endothelial cells undergo phenotypic transition to mesenchymal cells. Given the diversity of the vascular system in architecture, structure, and embryonic origins, it is not clear if endothelial cells lining different vessels are able to undergo EndMT. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the molecular and functional changes that occur in different types of endothelial cells after induction of EndMT through overexpression of Snail and TGF-β2. Different types of endothelial cells (human umbilical vein, heart, and lung) have distinct response when induced to undergo EndMT. Coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) induced with combined Snail overexpression plus TGF-β2 treatment promotes a decrease of endothelial markers, an increase of mesenchymal markers and migration. The mechanism that HCAEC undergoing EndMT may be mediated through Notch and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways. These results provide the foundation for understanding the roles of specific signaling pathways in mediating EndMT in endothelial cells from different anatomical origin. Thirteen samples underwent microarray analysis, as follows: two samples of endothelial cell control, two samples of endothelial cell containing Empty vector, three samples of endothelial cell treated with TGF-β2, three samples of endothelial cell containing SNAIL vector, and three samples of endothelial cell containing SNAIL vector and treated with TGF-β2. The microarray analysis was applied to investigate new genetic targets between control and cells that undergoing EndMT.