Nedd4 (Nedd4-1) is a Hect domain E3 ubiquitin ligase that also contains a C2 domain and three WW domains. Despite numerous in vitro studies, its biological function in vivo is not well understood. Here we show that disruption of Nedd4-1 in mice (leaving Nedd4-2 intact) caused embryonic lethality at mid gestation, with pronounced heart defects (double-outlet right ventricle and atrioventricular cushion defects) and vasculature abnormalities. Quantitative mass spectrometry and immunoblot analyses of lysates from the wild type and knock-out mouse embryonic fibroblasts to identify Nedd4-1 in vivo targets revealed dramatically increased amounts of thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1) in the knock-out mouse embryonic fibroblasts and embryos. Tsp-1 is an inhibitor of angiogenesis, and its elevated level was mediated primarily by enhanced transcription. Interestingly, the administration of aspirin (an inhibitor of Tsp-1) to the pregnant heterozygote mothers led to a reduction in Tsp-1 levels and a substantial rescue of the embryonic lethality. These results suggest that Nedd4-1 is a suppressor of Tsp1 and that increased levels of Tsp-1 in the Nedd4-1 knock-out mice may have contributed to the developmental defect observed in the embryos.Ubiquitination regulates stability of many cellular proteins (mainly cytosolic) by tagging them for degradation by the 26 S proteasome (1). It also controls other cellular fates such as endocytosis and vesicular sorting of transmembrane proteins (2-4). The ubiquitination reaction is carried out by the sequential activation of E1, 4 E2, and E3 enzymes (1) , and HECW2) (6, 7). The WW domains of Nedd4 proteins usually bind their substrates by recognizing a short sequence, the PY motif ((L/P)PXY) (8 -10). Nedd4-2 was shown to regulate endocytosis of the epithelial Na ϩ channel by ubiquitination (11-15), an effect impaired in Liddle syndrome patients in whom the PY motif of the epithelial Na ϩ channel (binding site for Nedd4-2) is mutated. Other ion channels are also negatively regulated by . Although Nedd4-1 is more widely expressed than Nedd4-2, less is known about its function. Nedd4-1 was reported to bind to and regulate stability or vesicular sorting of several proteins, including CNrasGEF (21); LAPTM5 (22); the viral proteins HTLV-1 Gag (23), Marburg/Ebola (24 -26), and MLV Gag (27, 28); AP-1 (27); APOBEC3G (29); Grb10 (30, 31); and c-Cbl (32). Also, the Drosophila homolog of Nedd4-1, dNedd4, was recently shown to regulate neuromuscular synaptogenesis in flies by binding to commissureless and promoting its endocytosis (33). Nedd4-1 was also shown to indirectly regulate the function of the endocytic protein Eps15 (34). The proposed role of Nedd4-1 in regulating PTEN stability and nuclear translocation (35, 36) was recently challenged (37).Despite the numerous reports published on Nedd4-1 over the past decade, its in vivo function(s) in mammals are less clear (see "Discussion"). Here we describe the knock-out of Nedd4-1 in mice. We show that these mice exhibit severe cardiac and some vascular defects...