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  3. Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate-mediated protein geranylgeranylation regulates endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis during vasculogenesis in mouse embryo

Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate-mediated protein geranylgeranylation regulates endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis during vasculogenesis in mouse embryo

  • J Genet Genomics. 2021 Apr 20;48(4):300-311. doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.03.009.
Danyang Chong 1,  Zhong Chen 1,  Shan Guan 1,  Tongyu Zhang 1,  Na Xu 1,  Yue Zhao 2,  Chaojun Li 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, National Resource Center for Mutant Mice, Nanjing 210093, China.
  • 2 Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, National Resource Center for Mutant Mice, Nanjing 210093, China. Electronic address: zhyue@nju.edu.cn.
  • 3 Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center and School of Medicine, Nanjing University, National Resource Center for Mutant Mice, Nanjing 210093, China. Electronic address: licj@nju.edu.cn.
PMID: 34049800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2021.03.009
Abstract

Vascular development is essential for the establishment of the circulatory system during embryonic development and requires the proliferation of endothelial cells. However, the underpinning regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we report that geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), a metabolite involved in protein geranylgeranylation, plays an indispensable role in embryonic vascular development. GGPP is synthesized by geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GGPPS) in the mevalonate pathway. The selective knockout of Ggpps in endothelial cells led to aberrant vascular development and embryonic lethality, resulting from the decreased proliferation and enhanced Apoptosis of endothelial cells during vasculogenesis. The defect in protein geranylgeranylation induced by GGPP depletion inhibited the membrane localization of RhoA and enhanced yes-associated protein (YAP) phosphorylation, thereby prohibiting the entry of YAP into the nucleus and the expression of YAP target genes related to cell proliferation and the antiapoptosis process. Moreover, inhibition of the mevalonate pathway by simvastatin induced endothelial cell proliferation defects and Apoptosis, which were ameliorated by GGPP. Geranylgeraniol (GGOH), a precursor of GGPP, ameliorated the harmful effects of simvastatin on vascular development of developing fetuses in pregnant mice. These results indicate that GGPP-mediated protein geranylgeranylation is essential for endothelial cell proliferation and the antiapoptosis process during embryonic vascular development.

Keywords

Apoptosis; Endothelial cell; GGPP; Proliferation; Protein geranylgeranylation.

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