Figure 1.
Reduced expression of YAP (yes-associated protein 1) and TAZ (WW domain containing transcription regulator 1) in vascular smooth muscle. A, Generation of Y/T KO (YAP and TAZ knockout) mice. Myh11-CreERT2 Yap1fl/fl Wwtr1fl/fl mice were injected with 1 mg tamoxifen for 5 consecutive days and euthanized on either day 9 or 11. B, Representative images of aortic cryosections, immunostained for YAP and TAZ. Asterisk represents nuclear localization, and arrowhead represents cytosolic localization. C, Western blot analysis, YAP and TAZ were normalized to total protein in abdominal aortic lysates (Ctrl [control], n=6; Y/T KO, n=6). The representative blots of YAP and TAZ are taken from the same lanes, hence the loading controls are identical. All data are presented as mean±SEM. DAPI indicates 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; Endo, endothelium; FC, fold change; and L, lumen.