GATA Transcription Factors and Cardiovascular Disease

Development of the mammalian heart is a complex process that involves the specification and differentiation of cardiovascular progenitor cells, their migration to the organ-forming region, interactions and signaling within and between tissues, and later growth and functional maturation of the organ. Normal heart structure and function rely on the precise expression and regulation of the transcription factor network during organogenesis. Over the last three decades, intensive studies from a number of invertebrate and vertebrate species have identified multiple genes encoding cardiac transcription factors, including GATA4/5/6, Nkx2-5, Tbx5, SRF, Mef2c, FOG, and HAND2, which are required for cardiogenesis. Defective expression or interactions between cardiac transcription factors underlie a significant portion of congenital heart disease. In this chapter, we summarize the current understanding of the functions of GATA transcription factors, especially GATA4, GATA5, and GATA6, in cardiovascular development and the molecular interactions of GATA factors with other transcription factors. The association of GATA transcription factors with cardiovascular disease is also discussed.