Downstream targets of GATA3 in the vestibular sensory organs of the inner ear

Early appearance of key transcription factors influence the spatiotemporal development of the human inner ear

Expression patterns of transcription factors leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5), transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase-1 (TAK1), SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2), and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) in the developing human fetal inner ear were studied between the gestation weeks 9 and 12. Further development of cochlear apex between gestational weeks 11 and 16 (GW11 and GW16) was examined using transmission electron microscopy. LGR5 was evident in the apical poles of the sensory epithelium of the cochlear duct and the vestibular end organs at GW11. Immunostaining was limited to hair cells of the organ of Corti by GW12. TAK1 was immune positive in inner hair cells of the organ of Corti by GW12 and colocalized with p75 neurotrophic receptor expression. Expression for SOX2 was confined primarily to the supporting cells of utricle at the earliest stage examined at GW9. Intense expression for GATA3 was presented in the cochlear sensory epithelium and spiral ganglia at GW9. Expression of GATA3 was present along the midline of both the utricle and saccule in the zone corresponding to the striolar reversal zone where the hair cell phenotype switches from type I to type II. The spatiotemporal gradient of the development of the organ of Corti was also evident with the apex of the cochlea forming by GW16. It seems that highly specific staining patterns of several transcriptions factors are critical in guiding the genesis of the inner ear over development. Our findings suggest that the spatiotemporal gradient in cochlear development extends at least until gestational week 16.

Characterization of Wnt and Notch-Responsive Lgr5+ Hair Cell Progenitors in the Striolar Region of the Neonatal Mouse Utricle

Dysfunctions in hearing and balance are largely connected with hair cell (HC) loss. Although regeneration of HCs in the adult cochlea does not occur, there is still limited capacity for HC regeneration in the mammalian utricle from a distinct population of supporting cells (SCs). In response to HC damage, these Lgr5+ SCs, especially those in the striolar region, can regenerate HCs. In this study, we isolated Lgr5+ SCs and Plp1+ SCs (which originate from the striolar and extrastriolar regions, respectively) from transgenic mice by flow cytometry so as to compare the properties of these two subsets of SCs. We found that the Lgr5+ progenitors had greater proliferation and HC regeneration ability than the Plp1+ SCs and that the Lgr5+ progenitors responded more strongly to Wnt and Notch signaling than Plp1+ SCs. We then compared the gene expression profiles of the two populations by RNA-Seq and identified several genes that were significantly differentially expressed between the two populations, including genes involved in the cell cycle, transcription and cell signaling pathways. Targeting these genes and pathways might be a potential way to activate HC regeneration.

Early growth response protein 1 regulates promoter activity of α-plasma membrane calcium ATPase 2, a major calcium pump in the brain and auditory system

BACKGROUND

Along with sodium/calcium (Ca2+) exchangers, plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPases (ATP2Bs) are main regulators of intracellular Ca2+ levels. There are four ATP2B paralogs encoded by four different genes. Atp2b2 encodes the protein pump with the fastest activation, ATP2B2. In mice, the Atp2b2 transcript has several alternate transcriptional start site variants: α, β, µ and δ. These variants are expressed in developmental and tissue specific manners. The α and β Atp2b2 transcripts are equally expressed in the brain. αAtp2b2 is the only transcript found in the outer hair cells of young mice (Silverstein RS, Tempel BL. in Neuroscience 141:245-257, 2006). Mutations in the coding region of the mouse Atp2b2 gene indicate a narrow window for tolerated dysfunction of the ATP2B2 protein, specifically in the auditory system. This highlights the necessity of tight regulation of this gene for normal cell physiology.

RESULTS

Although ATP2Bs are important regulators of Ca2+ in many cell types, little is known about their transcriptional regulation. This study identifies the proximal promoter of the αAtp2b2 transcript. Further investigations indicate that ATOH1 and EGR1 modulate promoter activity. Additionally, we report that EGR1 increases endogenous expression of Atp2b2 transcript in two cell lines. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) indicate that EGR1 binds to a specific site in the CpG island of the αAtp2b2 promoter.

CONCLUSION

This study furthers our understanding of Atp2b2 regulation by: (I) elucidating transcriptional regulatory mechanisms for Atp2b2, and (II) identifying transcription factors that modulate expression of Atp2b2 in the brain and peripheral auditory system and (III) allows for future studies modulating gene expression of Atp2b2.

Gene expression profiling of the inner ear

The identification of transcriptional differences has served as an important starting point in understanding the molecular mechanisms behind biological processes and systems. The developmental biology of the inner ear, the biology of hearing and of course the pathology of deafness are all processes that warrant a molecular description if we are to improve human health. To this end, technological innovation has meant that larger scale analysis of gene transcription has been possible for a number of years now, extending our molecular analysis of genes to beyond those that are currently in vogue for a given system. In this review, some of the contributions gene profiling has made to understanding developmental, pathological and physiological processes in the inner ear are highlighted.

Transactivation of human osteoprotegerin promoter by GATA-3

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a key regulator of bone remodeling. Mutations in OPG are involved in a variety of human diseases. We have shown that cochlear spiral ganglion cells secrete OPG at high levels and lack of OPG causes sensorineural hearing loss in addition to the previously described conductive hearing loss. In order to study the regulation of OPG expression, we conducted a database search on regulatory elements in the promoter region of the OPG gene, and identified two potential GATA-3 binding sites. Using luciferase assays and site directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate that these two elements are GATA-3 responsive and support GATA-3 transactivation in human HEK and HeLa cells. The expression of wild type GATA-3 activated OPG mRNA and protein expression, while the expression of a dominant negative mutant of GATA-3 or a GATA-3 shRNA construct reduced OPG mRNA and protein levels. GATA-3 deficient cells generated by expressing a GATA-3 shRNA construct were sensitive to apoptosis induced by etoposide and TNF-α. This apoptotic effect could be partly prevented by the co-treatment with exogenous OPG. Our results suggest new approaches to rescue diseases due to GATA-3 deficiency – such as in hypoparathyroidism, sensorineural deafness, and renal (HDR) syndrome – by OPG therapy.

Hair cell generation by notch inhibition in the adult mammalian cristae

Balance disorders caused by hair cell loss in the sensory organs of the vestibular system pose a significant health problem worldwide, particularly in the elderly. Currently, this hair cell loss is permanent as there is no effective treatment. This is in stark contrast to nonmammalian vertebrates who robustly regenerate hair cells after damage. This disparity in regenerative potential highlights the need for further manipulation in order to stimulate more robust hair cell regeneration in mammals. In the utricle, Notch signaling is required for maintaining the striolar support cell phenotype into the second postnatal week. Notch signaling has further been implicated in hair cell regeneration after damage in the mature utricle. Here, we investigate the role of Notch signaling in the mature mammalian cristae in order to characterize the Notch-mediated regenerative potential of these sensory organs. For these studies, we used the γ-secretase inhibitor, N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT), in conjunction with a method we developed to culture cristae in vitro. In postnatal and adult cristae, we found that 5 days of DAPT treatment resulted in a downregulation of the Notch effectors Hes1 and Hes5 and also an increase in the total number of Gfi1(+) hair cells. Hes5, as reported by Hes5-GFP, was downregulated specifically in peripheral support cells. Using lineage tracing with proteolipid protein (PLP)/CreER;mTmG mice, we found that these hair cells arose through transdifferentiation of support cells in cristae explanted from mice up to 10 weeks of age. These transdifferentiated cells arose without proliferation and were capable of taking on a hair cell morphology, migrating to the correct cell layer, and assembling what appears to be a stereocilia bundle with a long kinocilium. Overall, these data show that Notch signaling is active in the mature cristae and suggest that it may be important in maintaining the support cell fate in a subset of peripheral support cells.

Continued expression of GATA3 is necessary for cochlear neurosensory development

Hair cells of the developing mammalian inner ear are progressively defined through cell fate restriction. This process culminates in the expression of the bHLH transcription factor Atoh1, which is necessary for differentiation of hair cells, but not for their specification. Loss of several genes will disrupt ear morphogenesis or arrest of neurosensory epithelia development. We previously showed in null mutants that the loss of the transcription factor, Gata3, results specifically in the loss of all cochlear neurosensory development. Temporal expression of Gata3 is broad from the otic placode stage through the postnatal ear. It therefore remains unclear at which stage in development Gata3 exerts its effect. To better understand the stage specific effects of Gata3, we investigated the role of Gata3 in cochlear neurosensory specification and differentiation utilizing a LoxP targeted Gata3 line and two Cre lines. Foxg1^Cre∶Gata3^f/f mice show recombination of Gata3 around E8.5 but continue to develop a cochlear duct without differentiated hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons. qRT-PCR data show that Atoh1 was down-regulated but not absent in the duct whereas other hair cell specific genes such as Pou4f3 were completely absent. In addition, while Sox2 levels were lower in the Foxg1^Cre:Gata3^f/f cochlea, Eya1 levels remained normal. We conclude that Eya1 is unable to fully upregulate Atoh1 or Pou4f3, and drive differentiation of hair cells without Gata3. Pax2-Cre∶Gata3^f/f mice show a delayed recombination of Gata3 in the ear relative to Foxg1^Cre:Gata3^f/f. These mice exhibited a cochlear duct containing patches of partially differentiated hair cells and developed only few and incorrectly projecting spiral ganglion neurons. Our conditional deletion studies reveal a major role of Gata3 in the signaling of prosensory genes and in the differentiation of cochlear neurosenory cells. We suggest that Gata3 may act in combination with Eya1, Six1, and Sox2 in cochlear prosensory gene signaling.

Notch signaling in mammalian hair cell regeneration

In the inner ear, Notch signaling has been shown to have two key developmental roles. The first occurs early in otic development and defines the prosensory domains that will develop into the six sensory organs of the inner ear. The second role occurs later in development and establishes the mosaic-like pattern of the mechanosensory hair cells and their surrounding support cells through the more well-characterized process of lateral inhibition. These dual developmental roles have inspired several different strategies to regenerate hair cells in the mature inner ear organs. These strategies include (1) modulation of Notch signaling in inner ear stem cells in order to increase hair cell yield, (2) activation of Notch signaling in order to promote the formation of ectopic sensory regions in normally non-sensory regions within the inner ear, and (3) inhibition of Notch signaling to disrupt lateral inhibition and allow support cells to transdifferentiate into hair cells. In this review, we summarize some of the promising studies that have used these various strategies for hair cell regeneration through modulation of Notch signaling and some of the challenges that remain in developing therapies based on hair cell regeneration.

Probing the Xenopus laevis inner ear transcriptome for biological function

Background

The senses of hearing and balance depend upon mechanoreception, a process that originates in the inner ear and shares features across species. Amphibians have been widely used for physiological studies of mechanotransduction by sensory hair cells. In contrast, much less is known of the genetic basis of auditory and vestibular function in this class of animals. Among amphibians, the genus Xenopus is a well-characterized genetic and developmental model that offers unique opportunities for inner ear research because of the amphibian capacity for tissue and organ regeneration. For these reasons, we implemented a functional genomics approach as a means to undertake a large-scale analysis of the Xenopus laevis inner ear transcriptome through microarray analysis.

Results

Microarray analysis uncovered genes within the X. laevis inner ear transcriptome associated with inner ear function and impairment in other organisms, thereby supporting the inclusion of Xenopus in cross-species genetic studies of the inner ear. The use of gene categories (inner ear tissue; deafness; ion channels; ion transporters; transcription factors) facilitated the assignment of functional significance to probe set identifiers. We enhanced the biological relevance of our microarray data by using a variety of curation approaches to increase the annotation of the Affymetrix GeneChip® Xenopus laevis Genome array. In addition, annotation analysis revealed the prevalence of inner ear transcripts represented by probe set identifiers that lack functional characterization.

Conclusions

We identified an abundance of targets for genetic analysis of auditory and vestibular function. The orthologues to human genes with known inner ear function and the highly expressed transcripts that lack annotation are particularly interesting candidates for future analyses. We used informatics approaches to impart biologically relevant information to the Xenopus inner ear transcriptome, thereby addressing the impediment imposed by insufficient gene annotation. These findings heighten the relevance of Xenopus as a model organism for genetic investigations of inner ear organogenesis, morphogenesis, and regeneration.

Loss of LMO4 in the retina leads to reduction of GABAergic amacrine cells and functional deficits

BACKGROUND

LMO4 is a transcription cofactor expressed during retinal development and in amacrine neurons at birth. A previous study in zebrafish reported that morpholino RNA ablation of one of two related genes, LMO4b, increases the size of eyes in embryos. However, the significance of LMO4 in mammalian eye development and function remained unknown since LMO4 null mice die prior to birth.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We observed the presence of a smaller eye and/or coloboma in ∼40% LMO4 null mouse embryos. To investigate the postnatal role of LMO4 in retinal development and function, LMO4 was conditionally ablated in retinal progenitor cells using the Pax6 alpha-enhancer Cre/LMO4flox mice. We found that these mice have fewer Bhlhb5-positive GABAergic amacrine and OFF-cone bipolar cells. The deficit appears to affect the postnatal wave of Bhlhb5+ neurons, suggesting a temporal requirement for LMO4 in retinal neuron development. In contrast, cholinergic and dopaminergic amacrine, rod bipolar and photoreceptor cell numbers were not affected. The selective reduction in these interneurons was accompanied by a functional deficit revealed by electroretinography, with reduced amplitude of b-waves, indicating deficits in the inner nuclear layer of the retina.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Inhibitory GABAergic interneurons play a critical function in controlling retinal image processing, and are important for neural networks in the central nervous system. Our finding of an essential postnatal function of LMO4 in the differentiation of Bhlhb5-expressing inhibitory interneurons in the retina may be a general mechanism whereby LMO4 controls the production of inhibitory interneurons in the nervous system.