Transcription factor 21 regulates cardiac myofibroblast formation and fibrosis [RNA-Seq]

Transcription factor 21 (TCF21) is a basic helix-loop-helix protein required for developmental specification of cardiac fibroblasts from epicardial progenitor cells that normally surround and invade the heart. In the adult heart, TCF21 is expressed in tissue resident fibroblasts but is downregulated in response to injury or stimuli leading to myofibroblast differentiation. These findings led to the hypothesis that Tcf21 could be a regulator of fibroblast cell-fate in the adult mammalian heart and contribute to cardiac fibrosis. Here, bulk RNA sequencing was used to determine the effect of loss of TCF21 and enforced TCF21 expression in adult cardiac fibroblasts.