Fig. 5: Mechanical and osmotic stress regulate YAP/TAZ and Vegfc in IntSCs.

a Diagram depicting the location of mouse Vegfc promoter element upstream of the transcription start site (ATG) relative to the Vegfc gene with presence and arrangement of consensus TEAD-binding sequences (GGAAT, red lines). ChIP-qPCR primers of Vegfc gene promoter around the TEAD-binding sequences are depicted as R1, R2 or R3. b ChIP-qPCR in MEFs indicating the endogenous interaction between TEAD and the Vegfc promoter located −2.2 kb upstream of the transcription start site of Vegfc gene. Dots indicate values from four independent experiments, and horizontal bars indicate mean ± SD. P value versus negative control (NC) by two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test. n.s., not significant. c, d Representative images of YAP and TAZ and comparison of mRNA expressions of Vegfc, Ctgf, and Ankrd1 in isolated IntSCs after treatment with control (DMSO), latrunculin A (1 μM), or blebbistatin (50 μM) for 6 h. Similar results were observed in four independent experiments. Scale bars, 50 μm. Dots indicate data from four independent experiments and horizontal bars indicate mean ± SD. P value versus control by two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test. e, f Representative images of YAP and TAZ and comparison of mRNA expressions of Vegfc, Ctgf and Ankrd1 in isolated IntSCs plated on 1.5 kPa and 28 kPa matrix. Similar results were observed in four independent experiments. Scale bars, 20 μm. Dots indicate data from four independent experiments and horizontal bars indicate mean ± SD. P value versus 1.5 kPa matrix by two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test. g, h Representative images of YAP and TAZ and comparison of mRNA expressions of Vegfc, Ctgf and Ankrd1 in isolated IntSCs with or without 0.4 M sorbitol-induced osmotic stress for 3 h. Similar results were observed in four independent experiments. Scale bars, 50 μm. Dots indicate data from eight independent experiments and horizontal bars indicate mean ± SD. P value versus Control by two-tailed Mann–Whitney U test.