GATA6, also known as GATA binding protein 6, is a member of the GATA family of zinc-finger transcriptional regulators. It plays key roles in cell fate determination, proliferation, migration, and organogenesis of endoderm-and mesoderm-derived organs in vertebrates. It is involved in various biological processes such as immune response, tissue development, and disease-related cellular changes [5,6]. Genetic mouse models are valuable for studying GATA6's functions.

In arterial calcification, knockdown of GATA6 via recombinant adeno-associated virus carrying GATA6 shRNA inhibited the development of arterial calcification in CKD mice, suggesting GATA6 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell senescence-related arterial calcification by counteracting SIRT6 and impeding DNA damage repair [1]. In pancreatic cancer, GATA6 expression can distinguish classical and basal-like subtypes, with basal-like tumors being chemoresistant. Also, in NSCLC, down-regulation of GATA6 by miR-196b-5p promotes tumor progression [2,4]. In the heart, disruption of the pericardial cavity, where Gata6+ macrophages reside, accelerates maladaptive post-MI cardiac remodeling, indicating these macrophages have anti-fibrotic functions [3].

In conclusion, GATA6 is crucial in multiple biological processes. Gene knockout or conditional knockout mouse models have revealed its roles in diseases like arterial calcification, pancreatic cancer, NSCLC, and cardiac remodeling post-myocardial infarction. Understanding GATA6's functions through these models provides potential new targets for disease intervention.

References:

1. Li, Xiaoxue, Liu, Aiting, Xie, Chen, Luo, Pei, Huang, Hui. 2023. The transcription factor GATA6 accelerates vascular smooth muscle cell senescence-related arterial calcification by counteracting the role of anti-aging factor SIRT6 and impeding DNA damage repair. In Kidney international, 105, 115-131. doi:10.1016/j.kint.2023.09.028. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37914087/

2. O'Kane, Grainne M, Grünwald, Barbara T, Jang, Gun-Ho, Knox, Jennifer J, Fischer, Sandra E. 2020. GATA6 Expression Distinguishes Classical and Basal-like Subtypes in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer. In Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 26, 4901-4910. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-19-3724. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32156747/

3. Deniset, Justin F, Belke, Darrell, Lee, Woo-Yong, Fedak, Paul W M, Kubes, Paul. . Gata6+ Pericardial Cavity Macrophages Relocate to the Injured Heart and Prevent Cardiac Fibrosis. In Immunity, 51, 131-140.e5. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2019.06.010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31315031/

4. Liang, Guang, Meng, Wei, Huang, Xiangjie, Croce, Carlo M, Cui, Ri. 2020. miR-196b-5p-mediated downregulation of TSPAN12 and GATA6 promotes tumor progression in non-small cell lung cancer. In Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117, 4347-4357. doi:10.1073/pnas.1917531117. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32041891/

5. Jayakumar, Preethi, Laganson, Andrea, Deng, Meihong. 2022. GATA6+ Peritoneal Resident Macrophage: The Immune Custodian in the Peritoneal Cavity. In Frontiers in pharmacology, 13, 866993. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.866993. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35401237/

6. Zhang, Ling, He, Jian-Bo. . Progress of GATA6 in liver development. In Yi chuan = Hereditas, 40, 22-32. doi:10.16288/j.yczz.17-163. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29367190/