Mice Lacking Platelet-Derived Growth Factor D Display a Mild Vascular Phenotype

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 31;11(3):e0152276. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0152276. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGF-D) is the most recently discovered member of the PDGF family. PDGF-D signals through PDGF receptor β, but its biological role remains largely unknown. In contrast to other members of the PDGF family of growth factors, which have been extensively investigated using different knockout approaches in mice, PDGF-D has until now not been characterized by gene inactivation in mice. Here, we present the phenotype of a constitutive Pdgfd knockout mouse model (Pdgfd-/-), carrying a LacZ reporter used to visualize Pdgfd promoter activity. Inactivation of the Pdgfd gene resulted in a mild phenotype in C57BL/6 mice, and the offspring was viable, fertile and generally in good health. We show that Pdgfd reporter gene activity was consistently localized to vascular structures in both postnatal and adult tissues. The expression was predominantly arterial, often localizing to vascular bifurcations. Endothelial cells appeared to be the dominating source for Pdgfd, but reporter gene activity was occasionally also found in subpopulations of mural cells. Tissue-specific analyses of vascular structures revealed that NG2-expressing pericytes of the cardiac vasculature were disorganized in Pdgfd-/- mice. Furthermore, Pdgfd-/- mice also had a slightly elevated blood pressure. In summary, the vascular expression pattern together with morphological changes in NG2-expressing cells, and the increase in blood pressure, support a function for PDGF-D in regulating systemic arterial blood pressure, and suggests a role in maintaining vascular homeostasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arteries / metabolism
  • Arteries / ultrastructure
  • Blood Pressure
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fertility
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Glucose / metabolism
  • Heart
  • Lymphokines / genetics*
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL / genetics*
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL / physiology
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenotype
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / genetics*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic

Substances

  • Lymphokines
  • Pdgfd protein, mouse
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
  • Glucose

Grants and funding

Funding for this work came from The Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation 2012-0077 (www.hjart-lungfonden.se), The Swedish Cancer Foundation 2014/630 (www.cancerfonden.se), and The Swedish Research Council 2011-3861 (www.vr.se). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.