New research, “Ovol2/Movo, a homologue of Drosophila ovo, is required for angiogenesis, heart formation and placental development in mice,” is the subject of a report. “The zinc-finger transcription factor Ovol2 (Movo, Movo2) is a mouse homologue of Drosophila ovo, which is essential for the survival and differentiation of female germ line cells. To elucidate OVOL2 function in mammals, we generated Ovol2-deficient mice by gene targeting,” investigators in Moriguchi, Japan report.
“The Ovol2 mutants died at embryonic days 9.5-10.5 (E9.5-E10.5), as a result of defects in extraembryonic and embryonic vascularization, and in heart formation. Although the Ovol2 expression was weak, severe defects were detected in extraembryonic and embryonic vascularization, and in heart formation at E8.5-E9.5. In Ovol2(-/-) placentas, allantoic blood vessel expansion and development of the labyrinthine layer were impaired at E10.5. In an endothelial cell line, siRNAs for Ovol2 reduced the expression of Ovol2 and inhibited the capillary-like network formation on Matrigel in vitro,” wrote S. Unezaki and colleagues, Kansai Medical University, Department of Medical Chemistry.

The researchers concluded: “These results demonstrate that Ovol2 may play a critical role in vascular angiogenesis during early embryogenesis.”

Unezaki and colleagues published their study in Genes To Cells (Ovol2/Movo, a homologue of Drosophila ovo, is required for angiogenesis, heart formation and placental development in mice. Genes To Cells, 2007;12(6):773-85).

For additional information, contact S. Unezaki, Kansai Medical University, Dept. of Medical Chemistry, Moriguchi, 570-8506, Japan.

The publisher of the journal Genes To Cells can be contacted at: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 9600 Garsington Rd., Oxford OX4 2DG, Oxon, England.