Msx2 promotes cardiovascular calcification by activating paracrine Wnt signals
J. Clin. Invest. Jian-Su Shao, et al. 115:1210 doi:10.1172/JCI24140 [Go to this article.]

Figure 2
Expression of Msx2 in adventitial cells adjacent to segments of aortic and coronary medial calcification. Msx2 expression was visualized by immunohistochemistry in cardiovascular tissues from male CMV-Msx2Tg⁺ mice. Background signal arising from nonspecific binding of secondary antibody was assessed in the absence of primary antibody. Note expression of Msx2 transgene in adventitial cells (A) and cells at the aortic valve insertion (B). Msx2 expression was also observed in cardiac myofibroblasts (not shown). (C) Adjacent sections of cardiovascular tissues from male CMV-Msx2Tg⁺ mice were analyzed for Msx2 or ALP by immunohistochemistry. Alizarin red staining was used to determine patterns of tissue calcium deposition. While Msx2 is highly expressed in adventitial cells, ALP expression and calcification are most intense in the tunica media. (D) Western blot analysis of aortic proteins extracted from Msx2Tg⁺ compared with those from nontransgenic siblings. The expression of the osteocyte marker SOST was greater in aortas of CMV-Msx2Tg⁺ mice (lanes 2, 4, 6, and 8) as compared to SOST expression observed in aortas of nontransgenic siblings (lanes 1, 3, 5, and 7). All animals were fed high-fat diets as outlined in Methods. Arrows in A–C indicate nuclear staining. No 1° Ab, no primary antibody added.