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Mutations in smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2) lead to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections

A Corrigendum to this article was published on 01 February 2008

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Abstract

The major function of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is contraction to regulate blood pressure and flow. SMC contractile force requires cyclic interactions between SMC α-actin (encoded by ACTA2) and the β-myosin heavy chain (encoded by MYH11). Here we show that missense mutations in ACTA2 are responsible for 14% of inherited ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD). Structural analyses and immunofluorescence of actin filaments in SMCs derived from individuals heterozygous for ACTA2 mutations illustrate that these mutations interfere with actin filament assembly and are predicted to decrease SMC contraction. Aortic tissues from affected individuals showed aortic medial degeneration, focal areas of medial SMC hyperplasia and disarray, and stenotic arteries in the vasa vasorum due to medial SMC proliferation. These data, along with the previously reported MYH11 mutations causing familial TAAD1, indicate the importance of SMC contraction in maintaining the structural integrity of the ascending aorta.

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Figure 1: Identification of ACTA2 as the causative gene responsible for TAAD and livedo reticularis in family TAA327.
Figure 2: Clinical characteristics and familial segregation of ACTA2 mutations in individuals with familial TAAD.
Figure 3: Amino acid substitutions identified in ACTA2 in individuals with familial TAAD.
Figure 4: Impact of ACTA2 mutation on ACTA2 protein structure and function.
Figure 5: Aortic pathology associated with ACTA2 mutations.

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Change history

  • 23 January 2008

    In the version of this article initially published, the affiliation for C S Raman was incorrect. Dr. Raman is affiliated with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, and not with the Structural Biology Center. The error has been corrected in the PDF version of the article.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the families and their physicians involved in this study, to S. Veeraraghavan for help generating the structure panels and to C. Akers for excellent graphic assistance. The following sources provided funding for these studies: RO1 HL62594 (D.M.M.), P50HL083794-01 (D.M.M.), UL1 RR024148 (CTSA), and TexGen Foundation. D.M.M. is a Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist. C.S.R. is a Pew Scholar. R.A.L. is a Senior Scientific Investigator of Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, New York.

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Correspondence to Dianna M Milewicz.

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Guo, DC., Pannu, H., Tran-Fadulu, V. et al. Mutations in smooth muscle α-actin (ACTA2) lead to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. Nat Genet 39, 1488–1493 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.2007.6

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