Qian Li, Lifang Ye, Sriharsha Talapaneni, Yonghong Meng, Catherine Ruiyi Wang, Kyle Kalindjian, Jonathan Phan, Yu Chen, Linda L. Demer, Yin Tintut, Jeffrey J. Hsu
Short-term tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) treatment inhibits COL8A1 expression in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). COL8A1 inhibition decreases the expression of genes related to endothelial function and promotes endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition signaling. COL8A1 promotes the maintenance of endothelial traits in HAECs. TNF-α-induced COL8A1 inhibition helps to facilitate inflammatory EndMT via NF-κB/Snail signaling.