Objective: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) can happen anywhere in the body, although they most commonly produce symptoms in the brain. The role of CCM genes in other vascular beds outside the brain and retina is not well-examined, although the 3 CCM-associated genes (CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3) are ubiquitously expressed in all tissues. We aimed to determine the role of CCM gene in lymphatics. Approach and Results: Mice with an inducible pan-endothelial cell (EC) or lymphatic EC deletion of Ccm3 (Pdcd10ECKO or Pdcd10LECKO) exhibit dilated lymphatic capillaries and collecting vessels with abnormal valve structure. Morphological alterations were correlated with lymphatic dysfunction in Pdcd10LECKO mice as determined by Evans blue dye and fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)-dextran transport assays. Pdcd10LECKO lymphatics had increased VEGFR3 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3)-ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) signaling with lymphatic hyperplasia. Mechanistic studies suggested that VEGFR3 is primarily regulated at a transcriptional level in Ccm3-deficient lymphatic ECs, in an NF-κB (nuclear factor κB)-dependent manner. CCM3 binds to importin alpha 2/KPNA2 (karyopherin subunit alpha 2), and a CCM3 deletion releases KPNA2 to activate NF-κB P65 by facilitating its nuclear translocation and P65-dependent VEGFR3 transcription. Moreover, increased VEGFR3 in lymphatic EC preferentially activates ERK1/2 signaling, which is critical for lymphatic EC proliferation. Importantly, inhibition of VEGFR3 or ERK1/2 rescued the lymphatic defects in structure and function.
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that CCM3 deletion augments the VEGFR3-ERK1/2 signaling in lymphatic EC that drives lymphatic hyperplasia and malformation and warrant further investigation on the potential clinical relevance of lymphatic dysfunction in patients with CCM.
Keywords: Evans blue; angiopoietin; endothelial cell; lymph node; vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3.