# Screening and identification of pericyte-specific and subpopulation-specific markers

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 2020 · $226,500

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The long-term objective of this application is to fully understand the biological functions of pericytes in
physiological & pathological conditions and develop pericyte-based innovative therapies for various
aging-related disorders, which is consistent with the mission of NIA. This proposal aims to solve a
critical problem/barrier in the field of pericyte research: the lack of subpopulation-specific and age-
specific/age-independent pericyte markers. We propose to screen and identify molecular markers
specific for brain and muscle pericytes using a unique transgenic/biochemical approach, followed by
RNAseq analyses and subsequent innovative screening/comparing strategy. In Aim 1, pericytes and
vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) will be isolated from the brains and skeletal muscles of
Ai14:SM22α-Cre mice using FACS-based protocols optimized in our laboratory. Due to the vSMC-
specific expression of tdTomato in this transgenic line, this approach, unlike others, allows separation
of pericytes and vSMCs. Next, freshly isolated pericytes and vSMCs will be subjected to RNAseq
analyses. The transcriptional profile of pericytes will be first negatively selected against that of vSMCs,
and pericyte-enriched genes will be further compared with transcriptomes of other cells (available from
public databases). Genes unique to pericytes are potential pericyte-specific markers. By comparing
pericyte-specific genes from young and old mice, age-specific and age-independent markers will be
identified. By comparing genes unique to brain and muscle pericytes, subpopulation-specific markers
will be identified. In Aim 2, RNAseq-identified candidate genes will be validated in vitro and in vivo, and
the application of validated cell-surface markers in FACS-based pericyte isolation will be assessed.
Successful completion of this project will not only identify pericyte-specific markers, it will also identify
subpopulation-specific (brain vs. muscle) and age-specific/age-independent (young vs. old) pericyte
markers. These markers will enable isolating live pericytes at high purity for in vitro studies, targeting
pericytes specifically in vivo for loss-of-function studies, and studying pericytes in a subtype-specific
and age-specific/age-independent manner. These studies will dramatically enrich our knowledge in
pericyte biology/function, generate new genetic tools, open doors for new lines of research, and
substantially move the field forward.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9977608
- **Project number:** 1R21AG064422-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Yao Yao
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $226,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-06-15 → 2022-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9977608

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9977608, Screening and identification of pericyte-specific and subpopulation-specific markers (1R21AG064422-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9977608. Licensed CC0.

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