Paracrine nitric oxide induces expression of cardiac sarcomeric proteins in adult progenitor cells through soluble guanylyl cyclase/cyclic-guanosine monophosphate and Wnt/beta-catenin inhibition

摘要

Cardiac progenitor cells (CPC) from adult hearts can differentiate to several cell types composing the myocardium but the underlying molecular pathways are poorly characterized. We examined the role of paracrine nitric oxide (NO) in the specification of CPC to the cardiac lineage, particularly through its inhibition of the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, a critical step preceding cardiac differentiation.