| 2003 |
Robo4 is expressed specifically in vascular endothelium and binds Slit ligands (Slit1, Slit2, Slit3) as shown by immunoprecipitation, inhibiting endothelial cell migration. Robo4 also binds the actin regulatory protein Mena (an effector of Robo-Slit signaling) via immunoprecipitation. |
Immunoprecipitation, heterologous expression migration assay |
Developmental biology |
Medium |
12941633
|
| 2004 |
Soluble extracellular domain of Robo4 (Robo4Fc) inhibits angiogenesis in vivo and endothelial migration/proliferation in vitro, but Robo4 does NOT bind Slit1, Slit2, or Slit3 as determined by immunoprecipitation and BiaCore analysis (Slits bind Robo1, not Robo4). |
BiaCore binding assay, immunoprecipitation, rodent sponge angiogenesis model, aortic ring assay, endothelial migration/proliferation assays |
FASEB journal |
Medium |
15486058
|
| 2006 |
Robo4 activates Cdc42 and Rac1 Rho GTPases in endothelial cells (gain-of-function in vitro), and zebrafish robo4 knockdown reduces active Cdc42 and Rac1, supporting an attraction/guidance signaling mechanism through Rho GTPases. |
Gain-of-function overexpression, zebrafish morpholino knockdown, Rho GTPase activation assay |
Journal of Biological Chemistry |
Medium |
16481322
|
| 2008 |
Robo4 binds to Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP), N-WASP, and WASP-interacting protein (WIP) actin-nucleating complex via yeast two-hybrid and GST-pulldown. Robo1 and Robo4 form a heterodimeric complex (co-immunoprecipitation), and Robo1 is required for Robo4-mediated filopodia induction in endothelial cells. |
Yeast two-hybrid, GST pulldown, co-immunoprecipitation, siRNA knockdown, live-cell imaging of filopodia |
FASEB journal |
Medium |
18948384
|
| 2008 |
Slit2 activation of Robo4 inhibits VEGF-165-induced endothelial migration, tube formation, and vascular permeability in vitro, and inhibits pathologic angiogenesis and vascular leak in vivo, by blocking Src family kinase activation. Robo4-/- mice show enhanced pathologic angiogenesis and vascular leak. |
In vitro migration/tube formation/permeability assays, Src kinase activity assay, Robo4 knockout mouse models of retinal/choroidal vascular disease |
Nature medicine |
High |
18345009
|
| 2009 |
Robo4 directly interacts with the intracellular adaptor paxillin (and its paralogue Hic-5) at the cell surface. Formation of this Robo4-paxillin complex recruits the Arf-GAP GIT1, which inactivates Arf6 and consequently Rac1, thereby suppressing cellular protrusive activity, neovascularization, and vascular hyperpermeability. Inhibition of Arf6 in vivo phenocopies Robo4 activation. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, biochemical interaction assays, siRNA knockdown, Arf6 activity assay, in vivo choroidal/retinal disease models |
Nature cell biology |
High |
19855388
|
| 2010 |
Slit2-Robo4 signaling stabilizes the endothelial barrier in response to cytokine storm (LPS, polymicrobial sepsis, H5N1 influenza), reducing vascular permeability in lung and other organs and increasing survival in mouse models. |
Mouse models of endotoxemia, polymicrobial sepsis, and H5N1 influenza; vascular permeability assays; survival analysis |
Science translational medicine |
High |
20375003
|
| 2010 |
In the mammary gland, endothelial Robo4 loss combined with angiogenic stimuli leads to enhanced VEGFR2 signaling through Src and FAK kinases, increasing vessel density. Stromal mural-cell-derived Slit signals through endothelial Robo4 (not Robo1) to suppress VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling. |
Robo4 and Robo1 conditional/germline knockout mice, VEGFR2/Src/FAK phosphorylation assays |
PNAS |
High |
20498081
|
| 2011 |
Robo4 maintains vessel integrity and inhibits angiogenesis by directly binding to UNC5B (a vascular Netrin receptor) via its extracellular domain. Robo4-UNC5B interaction inhibits signaling downstream of VEGF; soluble Robo4 rescues barrier defects in Robo4-/- mice only when UNC5B is functional. |
Protein-protein interaction screen with Robo4 extracellular domain, co-immunoprecipitation, function-blocking antibodies, Robo4-/- rescue assays |
Developmental cell |
High |
21238923
|
| 2011 |
Robo4 functions in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to anchor them to bone marrow niches; Robo4-deficient HSCs show poor BM niche localization and reduced long-term reconstitution. Robo4 cooperates with Cxcr4 for HSC niche access, and Cxcr4 is upregulated in Robo4-/- HSCs to compensate. |
Robo4 germline knockout mouse, HSC transplantation assays, bone marrow homing assays, CXCR4 expression analysis |
Cell stem cell |
High |
21211783
|
| 2011 |
Robo4 regulates radial migration of newborn neurons in developing neocortex in a Slit-dependent and Slit-independent manner. Robo4 knockdown in cortical neurons causes severe radial migration defects and misorientation, and increases sensitivity to Slit-mediated repulsion. |
In utero electroporation with siRNA, Cre-mediated conditional knockout in floxed-Robo4 mice, Boyden chamber migration assay, growth cone collapse assay |
Cerebral cortex |
High |
22123939
|
| 2012 |
Robo4 deficiency in mice impairs HSC homing to bone marrow and granulocyte-CSF-induced HSC mobilization, but Robo4 is not essential for long-term repopulating capacity or self-renewal of HSCs. |
Robo4-/- mouse, homing assay, competitive transplantation, G-CSF-induced mobilization assay |
PloS one |
Medium |
23226403
|
| 2012 |
Robo4 knockdown in human retinal vascular endothelial cells increases monolayer permeability, downregulates tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1, causes F-actin rearrangement, and activates the LIMK/cofilin pathway. |
siRNA knockdown, RITC-dextran flux permeability assay, Western blotting, immunofluorescence |
Current eye research |
Medium |
23163536
|
| 2013 |
Slit2-Robo4 signaling represses LPS-induced endothelial inflammation (cytokine secretion, ICAM-1 upregulation, monocyte adhesion) by inhibiting the Pyk2-NF-κB pathway downstream of TLR4. Robo1 has opposing pro-inflammatory properties and is downregulated by Slit2 via miR-218. |
siRNA knockdown, cytokine ELISA, ICAM-1 expression assay, monocyte adhesion assay, NF-κB/Pyk2 phosphorylation assays |
Journal of Immunology |
Medium |
24272999
|
| 2013 |
SLIT3 (secreted by pericytic MSCs) acts as a ligand for ROBO4 on endothelial cells to promote vascular network formation in engineered tissue. siRNA knockdown of ROBO4 in endothelial cells abolishes formation of functional human blood vessels in an in vivo xenogenic implant. |
siRNA knockdown of SLIT3 and ROBO4, 3D vascular network live imaging, in vivo xenogenic implant assay |
Journal of molecular and cellular cardiology |
Medium |
24090675
|
| 2013 |
Slit2-N inhibits VEGF-C-mediated lymphatic endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in a Robo4-dependent manner, inducing internalization of VEGFR-3 and blocking PI3K/Akt pathway activation. |
siRNA knockdown of Robo4, cell proliferation/migration/tube formation assays, VEGFR-3 internalization assay, PI3K/Akt Western blotting |
Cell communication and signaling |
Medium |
24708522
|
| 2015 |
ROBO4 on vascular endothelium actively promotes HSC translocation across vessel walls into bone marrow (extravasation), while vascular integrity mediated by ROBO4 prevents reverse (BM-to-blood) escape of HSCs, thus regulating directionality of HSC trafficking. |
Robo4 KO mouse, induced vascular permeability experiments, HSC trafficking directional assays |
Stem cell reports |
Medium |
25640759
|
| 2016 |
The cytoplasmic domain of Robo4 is dispensable for preventing vascular permeability and inhibiting neovascularization. Robo4 and a truncated cytoplasmic-domain-deleted Robo4 (Robo4ΔCD) both counteract VEGFR2-Y949 (Y951 in human) phosphorylation by signaling through UNC5B; Robo4 does not affect Slit2 signaling in this context. |
Transgenic mice expressing Robo4ΔCD, oxygen-induced retinopathy model, wound healing model, VEGFR2 phosphorylation assays, UNC5B signaling epistasis |
Nature communications |
High |
27882935
|
| 2018 |
ROBO4 variants (loss-of-function) in endothelial cells result in impaired barrier function and a gene expression profile consistent with endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT), identifying an endothelial mechanism for bicuspid aortic valve and thoracic aortic aneurysm. |
ROBO4 silencing and mutant ROBO4 expression in endothelial cell lines; barrier function assay; transcriptome analysis |
Nature genetics |
Medium |
30455415
|
| 2018 |
Annexin A2 (ANXA2) acts as an extracellular ligand for Robo4 and modulates the Robo4-paxillin-ARF6 signaling pathway to reduce trans-endothelial permeability in cerebrovascular injury. ANXA2 also interacts with F-actin and VE-cadherin. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, knockdown assays, ARF6 activity assay, trans-endothelial permeability assay, ANXA2 KO mice |
Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism |
Medium |
29786451
|
| 2018 |
ETV2, an ETS family transcription factor, directly interacts with TET1 and TET2 (methylcytosine-converting enzymes) via immunoprecipitation. ETV2-TET1/TET2 complexes demethylate the Robo4 proximal promoter at ETS motifs, inducing endothelial cell-specific Robo4 expression during differentiation. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, adenoviral overexpression, reporter assay, bisulfite sequencing of CpG methylation, iPS-to-EC differentiation assay |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
29618782
|
| 2019 |
Robo4 interacts with TRAF7 (an E3 ubiquitin ligase) through the C-terminus of Robo4. The Robo4-TRAF7 complex suppresses TNFα-induced endothelial hyperpermeability by stabilizing VE-cadherin at cell junctions; TRAF7 is required for Robo4-mediated permeability suppression. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, deletion assays (Robo4 C-terminus), gain/loss-of-function experiments, VE-cadherin localization assay, Robo4-/- mouse endotoxemia model |
Journal of cell science |
Medium |
30510113
|
| 2019 |
Robo4 contributes to the turnover of Peyer's patch B cells and is selectively expressed on lymphatic sinus endothelial cells. Robo4-deficient mice accumulate naive B cells in Peyer's patches, demonstrating a role in B cell egress through efferent lymphatics. |
Robo4 KO mouse, lymphocyte flow cytometry, short-term homing assays, microarray of sinus endothelial cells |
Mucosal immunology |
Medium |
31772321
|
| 2022 |
Robo4 is constitutively shed from the endothelial cell surface by ADAM10 and ADAM17 metalloproteinases. The resulting soluble Robo4 inhibits angiogenic Slit3 signaling. Slit3 ligand itself induces Robo4 endocytosis, shielding it from shedding and thereby enhancing membrane Robo4 signaling. |
ADAM inhibitors and siRNA knockdown of ADAM10/17, shedding assays, Robo4 endocytosis assay, Slit3-induced angiogenesis assay |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
35288626
|
| 2023 |
ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling positively and ALK1-SMAD1/5 signaling negatively regulate Robo4 expression. Endothelial-specific Robo4 overexpression suppresses vascular permeability and reduces mortality in LPS-treated mice; ALK1 inhibitor increases Robo4 expression and suppresses SARS-CoV-2-induced endothelial barrier disruption. |
Small molecule screening, ALK1 inhibitor treatment, endothelial-specific Robo4 transgenic overexpression mice, LPS endotoxemia model, SARS-CoV-2 infection model, permeability assays |
PNAS |
High |
36634143
|
| 2024 |
ROBO4 interacts with IQGAP1 and TRAF7 (E3 ubiquitin ligase) in a trimeric complex. Within this complex, ROBO4 enhances IQGAP1 ubiquitination through TRAF7, inhibiting prolonged RAC1 activation and thereby decreasing PTGS2/COX-2 expression in inflammatory endothelial cells. |
RNA-seq, co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assay, RAC1 activity assay, Robo4-/- mouse inflammatory disease models (arthritis, edema, pain) |
Communications biology |
High |
38762541
|
| 2024 |
TET2-mediated active demethylation of the ROBO4 promoter (oxidizing 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine) under hyperglycemia enhances SP1 binding to the ROBO4 promoter, increases ROBO4 expression, and decreases ZO-1 and occludin, leading to retinal vascular abnormalities. TET2 or ROBO4 inhibition ameliorates these defects. |
Bisulfite sequencing, ChIP assay, shRNA knockdown of TET2 and ROBO4, 5hmC quantification, permeability/migration/angiogenesis assays, streptozotocin diabetic mouse model |
Journal of translational medicine |
Medium |
37430272
|
| 2024 |
USP5 stabilizes ROBO4 protein via deubiquitination. USP5 and ROBO4 interact as shown by co-IP and deubiquitination assay. USP5-mediated ROBO4 stabilization promotes high-glucose-induced retinal pigment epithelial cell damage (promoting apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress). |
Co-immunoprecipitation, deubiquitination assay, siRNA/overexpression of USP5 and ROBO4, cell viability/apoptosis/ELISA assays |
Cellular signalling |
Medium |
38735506
|
| 2024 |
Robo4 depletion in endothelial cells increases expression of endoglin (CD105) and promotes EndMT via canonical (Smad) and non-canonical (AKT/NF-κB) pathways, activating Snail1 nuclear translocation. Robo4 overexpression upregulates ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 and inhibits irradiation-induced EndMT, protecting hematopoietic reconstitution. |
Lentiviral RNAi and gene overexpression, Western blotting for EndMT markers, Smad/AKT/NF-κB pathway analysis, co-culture of ECs and HSPCs, flow cytometry |
Cell death & disease |
Medium |
38383474
|
| 2007 |
The 3-kb human Robo4 promoter drives endothelial cell-specific expression via SP1 binding motifs at -42 and -153 and an ETS (GABP) binding site at -119. GABP and SP1 transcription factors bind these motifs (confirmed by EMSA, supershift antibodies, and ChIP). siRNA knockdown of GABP or SP1 reduces endogenous Robo4 mRNA by ~50%. |
Deletion/mutation reporter assays, EMSA with supershift, ChIP, siRNA knockdown, Hprt-targeted LacZ knock-in mice |
Circulation research |
High |
17495228
|
| 2017 |
In the brain vasculature, ROBO4 interacts with β3 integrin (co-immunoprecipitation); VEGF-activated β3 integrin sequesters ROBO4, reducing its expression and function during diabetes-induced cerebral neovascularization. VEGFR-2 inhibition increases ROBO4 expression and reduces ROBO4-β3 integrin interaction. |
Co-immunoprecipitation, VEGFR-2 inhibitor (SKLB1002), ROBO4 overexpression in brain, diabetic rat model (GK rats), immunohistochemistry |
Diabetologia |
Medium |
28116460
|
| 2017 |
Slit2 treatment via Robo4 increases Rac1 activity (measured by pulldown) in the context of surgical brain injury, and this effect is reversed by siRNA knockdown of Robo4 or paxillin, reducing blood-brain barrier permeability. |
siRNA knockdown of Robo4 and paxillin, Rac1 activity pulldown assay, BBB permeability assay (Evans blue), rodent surgical brain injury model |
Scientific reports |
Medium |
28389649
|
| 2015 |
Robo4 suppresses Slit2/Robo1-mediated HUVEC migration through an intracellular (not extracellular competitive) mechanism. CdGAP (a Rac1/Cdc42-specific GTPase activating protein) was identified as a Robo1 signaling partner by co-immunoprecipitation, linking Slit2/Robo1 to cytoskeletal regulation. |
Boyden chamber migration assay, siRNA knockdown of Robo4 and Robo1, co-immunoprecipitation of Robo1 and CdGAP, targeted proteomics |
Biochemical and biophysical research communications |
Medium |
26713366
|
| 2021 |
HDAC3 maintains Robo4 expression in endothelial cells by sustaining GABP transcription factor expression. Knockdown of HDAC3 (but not HDAC1 or HDAC2) decreases Robo4 expression; the HDAC inhibitor MS-275 suppresses Robo4 via HDAC3/GABP axis, increasing endothelial permeability. |
siRNA knockdown of individual HDACs, MS-275 pharmacological inhibition, GABP expression analysis, transendothelial electrical resistance, Evans blue assay in mice |
Tissue barriers |
Medium |
33955828
|
| 2025 |
Robo4 inhibits pathological angiogenesis in OIR by negatively regulating ARF6 and VEGF expression. Robo4 overexpression reduces ARF6 and VEGF levels; Robo4 knockdown increases ARF6 and VEGF. ARF6 overexpression partially reverses Robo4-mediated inhibition of angiogenesis, confirming Robo4 acts upstream of ARF6 in the ARF6-VEGF axis. |
Robo4 overexpression and siRNA knockdown, ARF6 overexpression rescue experiment, VEGF/ARF6 Western blotting, oxygen-induced retinopathy mouse model |
Human cell |
Medium |
40778968
|