Generation of a novel constitutive smooth muscle cell-specific Myh11-driven Cre mouse model

Abstract

Dysfunction in either embryonic or postnatal smooth muscle cells (SMCs) significantly contributes to the progression of various cardiovascular and visceral diseases. Therefore, elucidating the molecular mechanisms governing SMC development and homeostasis is crucial. MYH11 is the most reliable lineage gene for SMCs and has been utilized to develop tamoxifen-inducible Cre driver lines for achieving SMC-specific gene manipulation by crossing with mice carrying the loxP-flanked gene, particularly in adult mice. For studies involving SMCs during embryogenesis, the commonly used constitutive Cre driver is controlled by the Tagln (also known as SM22α) promoter. However, this Cre driver exhibits activity in multiple non-SMC populations, including cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle precursors, introducing confounding effects. Additionally, most existing SMC-specific Cre drivers are generated using a transgenic approach, raising concerns about random site integration and variable gene copy numbers. To address these limitations, we report a novel Cre mouse model generated by knock-in (KI) of a nuclear-localized Cre recombinase into the Myh11 gene locus using homologous recombination. We confirmed that the Cre activity precisely recapitulates endogenous Myh11 expression by crossing with Rosa26 mTmG or tdTomato reporter mice. Moreover, Myh11-driven Cre can efficiently delete the floxed allele of the transcription factor Tead1 specifically in SMCs. The Tead1 SMC-specific knockout mice did not exhibit an overt phenotype, thereby circumventing the embryonic lethal phenotype mediated by Tagln-driven Cre, as we previously reported. These findings establish this novel Cre driver line as a robust tool for tracing the Myh11-positive SMC lineage and manipulating gene function specifically in SMCs during embryonic development in both male and female mice.