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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Genes & Development, 19(23), p. 2278-2283, 2009

DOI: 10.1101/gad.535409

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Integrin-linked kinase controls vascular wall formation by negatively regulating Rho/ROCK-mediated vascular smooth muscle cell contraction

Journal article published in 2009 by Naoko Kogata ORCID, Rachel M. Tribe ORCID, Reinhard Fässler, Michael Way, Ralf H. Adams
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) form contractile layers around larger blood vessels in a process that is essential for the formation of a fully functional vasculature. Here, we show that integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is required for the formation of a unitary layer of aligned VSMCs around arterioles and the regulation of blood vessel constriction in mice. In the absence of ILK, activated Rho/ROCK signaling induces the elevated phosphorylation of myosin light chain leading to abnormally enhanced VSMC contraction in vitro and in vivo. Our findings identify ILK as a key component regulating vascular wall formation by negatively modulating VSMC contractility.