Mutation at the Lmx1a locus provokes aberrant brain development in the rat

Lmx1a is a master regulator of the cortical hem

Development of the nervous system depends on signaling centers - specialized cellular populations that produce secreted molecules to regulate neurogenesis in the neighboring neuroepithelium. In some cases, signaling center cells also differentiate to produce key types of neurons. The formation of a signaling center involves its induction, the maintenance of expression of its secreted molecules, and cell differentiation and migration events. How these distinct processes are coordinated during signaling center development remains unknown. By performing studies in mice, we show that Lmx1a acts as a master regulator to orchestrate the formation and function of the cortical hem (CH), a critical signaling center that controls hippocampus development. Lmx1a co-regulates CH induction, its Wnt signaling, and the differentiation and migration of CH-derived Cajal-Retzius neurons. Combining RNAseq, genetic, and rescue experiments, we identified major downstream genes that mediate distinct Lmx1a-dependent processes. Our work revealed that signaling centers in the mammalian brain employ master regulatory genes and established a framework for analyzing signaling center development.

The Conflicting Role of Caffeine Supplementation on Hyperoxia-Induced Injury on the Cerebellar Granular Cell Neurogenesis of Newborn Rats

Preterm birth disrupts cerebellar development, which may be mediated by systemic oxidative stress that damages neuronal developmental stages. Impaired cerebellar neurogenesis affects several downstream targets important for cognition, emotion, and speech. In this study, we demonstrate that oxidative stress induced with high oxygen (80%) for three or five postnatal days (P3/P5) could significantly damage neurogenesis and proliferative capacity of granular cell precursor and Purkinje cells in rat pups. Reversal of cellular neuronal damage after recovery to room air (P15) was augmented by treatment with caffeine. However, downstream transcripts important for migration and differentiation of postmitotic granular cells were irreversibly reduced by hyperoxia, without rescue by caffeine. Protective effects of caffeine in the cerebellum were limited to neuronal survival but failed to restore important transcript signatures.

Molecular ontology of the parabrachial nucleus

This article has been removed because of a technical problem in the rendering of the PDF. 11 February 2022.

Rat models of human diseases and related phenotypes: a systematic inventory of the causative genes

The laboratory rat has been used for a long time as the model of choice in several biomedical disciplines. Numerous inbred strains have been isolated, displaying a wide range of phenotypes and providing many models of human traits and diseases. Rat genome mapping and genomics was considerably developed in the last decades. The availability of these resources has stimulated numerous studies aimed at discovering causal disease genes by positional identification. Numerous rat genes have now been identified that underlie monogenic or complex diseases and remarkably, these results have been translated to the human in a significant proportion of cases, leading to the identification of novel human disease susceptibility genes, helping in studying the mechanisms underlying the pathological abnormalities and also suggesting new therapeutic approaches. In addition, reverse genetic tools have been developed. Several genome-editing methods were introduced to generate targeted mutations in genes the function of which could be clarified in this manner [generally these are knockout mutations]. Furthermore, even when the human gene causing a disease had been identified without resorting to a rat model, mutated rat strains (in particular KO strains) were created to analyze the gene function and the disease pathogenesis. Today, over 350 rat genes have been identified as underlying diseases or playing a key role in critical biological processes that are altered in diseases, thereby providing a rich resource of disease models. This article is an update of the progress made in this research and provides the reader with an inventory of these disease genes, a significant number of which have similar effects in rat and humans.

Interaction with ectopic cochlear crista sensory epithelium disrupts basal cochlear sensory epithelium development in Lmx1a mutant mice

The LIM homeodomain transcription factor Lmx1a shows a dynamic expression in the developing mouse ear that stabilizes in the non-sensory epithelium. Previous work showed that Lmx1a functional null mutants have an additional sensory hair cell patch in the posterior wall of a cochlear duct and have a mix of vestibular and cochlear hair cells in the basal cochlear sensory epithelium. In E13.5 mutants, Sox2-expressing posterior canal crista is continuous with an ectopic "crista sensory epithelium" located in the outer spiral sulcus of the basal cochlear duct. The medial margin of cochlear crista is in contact with the adjacent Sox2-expressing basal cochlear sensory epithelium. By E17.5, this contact has been interrupted by the formation of an intervening non-sensory epithelium, and Atoh1 is expressed in the hair cells of both the cochlear crista and the basal cochlear sensory epithelium. Where cochlear crista was formerly associated with the basal cochlear sensory epithelium, the basal cochlear sensory epithelium lacks an outer hair cell band, and gaps are present in its associated Bmp4 expression. Further apically, where cochlear crista was never present, the cochlear sensory epithelium forms a poorly ordered but complete organ of Corti. We propose that the core prosensory posterior crista is enlarged in the mutant when the absence of Lmx1a expression allows JAG1-NOTCH signaling to propagate into the adjacent epithelium and down the posterior wall of the cochlear duct. We suggest that the cochlear crista propagates in the mutant outer spiral sulcus because it expresses Lmo4 in the absence of Lmx1a.

Neurons Generated by Mouse ESCs with Hippocampal or Cortical Identity Display Distinct Projection Patterns When Co-transplanted in the Adult Brain

The capability of generating neural precursor cells with distinct types of regional identity in vitro has recently opened new opportunities for cell replacement in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. By manipulating Wnt and BMP signaling, we steered the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) toward isocortical or hippocampal molecular identity. These two types of cells showed different degrees of axonal outgrowth and targeted different regions when co-transplanted in healthy or lesioned isocortex or in hippocampus. In hippocampus, only precursor cells with hippocampal molecular identity were able to extend projections, contacting CA3. Conversely, isocortical-like cells were capable of extending long-range axonal projections only when transplanted in motor cortex, sending fibers toward both intra- and extra-cortical targets. Ischemic damage induced by photothrombosis greatly enhanced the capability of isocortical-like cells to extend far-reaching projections. Our results indicate that neural precursors generated by ESCs carry intrinsic signals specifying axonal extension in different environments.

•

Wnt signaling induces hippocampal fate in neuralized mouse ESCs

•

Transplanted cortical and hippocampal neurons target distinct regions in adult brain

•

Photothrombotic lesion favors neurite elongation of cortical transplanted cells

•

Cortical cell transplantation improves the motor performance after ischemic damage

Immortalization of neuronal progenitors using SV40 large T antigen and differentiation towards dopaminergic neurons

Transplantation is common in clinical practice where there is availability of the tissue and organ. In the case of neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease (PD), transplantation is not possible as a result of the non-availability of tissue or organ and therefore, cell therapy is an innovation in clinical practice. However, the availability of neuronal cells for transplantation is very limited. Alternatively, immortalized neuronal progenitors could be used in treating PD. The neuronal progenitor cells can be differentiated into dopaminergic phenotype. Here in this article, the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the differentiation of dopaminergic phenotype from the neuronal progenitors immortalized with SV40 LT antigen is discussed. In addition, the methods of generating dopaminergic neurons from progenitor cells and the factors that govern their differentiation are elaborated. Recent advances in cell-therapy based transplantation in PD patients and future prospects are discussed.

Mutanlallemand (mtl) and Belly Spot and Deafness (bsd) are two new mutations of Lmx1a causing severe cochlear and vestibular defects

Mutanlallemand (mtl) and Belly Spot and Deafness (bsd) are two new spontaneous alleles of the Lmx1a gene in mice. Homozygous mutants show head tossing and circling behaviour, indicative of vestibular defects, and they have short tails and white belly patches of variable size. The analysis of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) showed that mtl and bsd homozygotes are deaf, whereas heterozygous and wildtype littermates have normal hearing. Paint-filled inner ears at E16.5 revealed that mtl and bsd homozygotes lack endolymphatic ducts and semicircular canals and have short cochlear ducts. These new alleles show similarities with dreher (Lmx1a) mutants. Complementation tests between mtl and dreher and between mtl and bsd suggest that mtl and bsd are new mutant alleles of the Lmx1a gene. To determine the Lmx1a mutation in mtl and bsd mutant mice we performed PCR followed by sequencing of genomic DNA and cDNA. The mtl mutation is a single point mutation in the 3′ splice site of exon 4 leading to an exon extension and the activation of a cryptic splice site 44 base pairs downstream, whereas the bsd mutation is a genomic deletion that includes exon 3. Both mutations lead to a truncated LMX1A protein affecting the homeodomain (mtl) or LIM2-domain (bsd), which is critical for LMX1A protein function. Moreover, the levels of Lmx1a transcript in mtl and bsd mutants are significantly down-regulated. Hmx2/3 and Pax2 expression are also down-regulated in mtl and bsd mutants, suggesting a role of Lmx1a upstream of these transcription factors in early inner ear morphogenesis. We have found that these mutants develop sensory patches although they are misshapen. The characterization of these two new Lmx1a alleles highlights the critical role of this gene in the development of the cochlea and vestibular system.

Expression of the LIM-homeodomain gene Lmx1a in the postnatal mouse central nervous system

The LIM-homeodomain transcription factor Lmx1a plays critical roles in roof plate formation as well as in the cell fate determination of midbrain dopaminergic neurons during embryonic development, but its function in the adult brain remains unknown. In the present study, as the first step in exploring its function in adult brain, we examined the expression of Lmx1a in the mouse central nervous system (CNS) from birth to adulthood by in situ hybridization. Lmx1a was expressed at high levels in the posterior hypothalamic area, supremammillary nucleus, ventral premammillary nucleus, subthalamic nucleus, ventral tegmental area, compact part of the substantia nigra and parabrachial nucleus from birth to adulthood, and co-localized with its paralogue Lmx1b in these regions. On the other hand, Lmx1a expression in the cochlear nuclei, medial cerebellar nucleus and superior vestibular nucleus was only observed until postnatal day (P) 30 and showed no colocalization with Lmx1b. Lmx1a-expressing neurons in the ventral midbrain were dopaminergic as evidenced by co-expression with tyrosine hydroxylase in these regions. Furthermore, Lmx1a expression was also found in the choroid plexuses and ependymal cells, although its expression was only detected during the first two postnatal weeks. These results suggest that Lmx1a may be involved in postnatal development as well as in maintenance of some aspects of normal brain function.

Hes genes and neurogenin regulate non-neural versus neural fate specification in the dorsal telencephalic midline

The choroid plexus in the brain is unique because it is a non-neural secretory tissue. It secretes the cerebrospinal fluid and functions as a blood-brain barrier, but the precise mechanism of specification of this non-neural tissue has not yet been determined. Using mouse embryos and lineage-tracing analysis, we found that the prospective choroid plexus region initially gives rise to Cajal-Retzius cells, specialized neurons that guide neuronal migration. Inactivation of the bHLH repressor genes Hes1, Hes3 and Hes5 upregulated expression of the proneural gene neurogenin 2 (Ngn2) and prematurely depleted Bmp-expressing progenitor cells, leading to enhanced formation of Cajal-Retzius cells and complete loss of choroid plexus epithelial cells. Overexpression of Ngn2 had similar effects. These data indicate that Hes genes promote specification of the fate of choroid plexus epithelial cells rather than the fate of Cajal-Retzius cells by antagonizing Ngn2 in the dorsal telencephalic midline region, and thus this study has identified a novel role for bHLH genes in the process of deciding which cells will have a non-neural versus a neural fate.

Molecular programming of stem cells into mesodiencephalic dopaminergic neurons

In a screen for homeobox transcription factors expressed in the embryonic ventral midbrain, Andersson et al. recently identified Lmx1a and Msx1. Using in ovo electroporation in chick embryos, they showed that these factors are crucial for initiating the differentiation of neuroepithelial progenitor neurons into mesodiencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons. Lmx1a also initiated a developmental program that drove an mdDA phenotype in mouse embryonic stem cells. This indicates that these factors can be exploited in cell-replacement strategies for treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Molecular definition of an allelic series of mutations disrupting the mouse Lmx1a (dreher) gene

Mice homozygous for the dreher (dr) mutation are characterized by pigmentation and skeletal abnormalities and striking behavioral phenotypes, including ataxia, vestibular deficits, and hyperactivity. The ataxia is associated with a cerebellar malformation that is remarkably similar to human Dandy-Walker malformation. Previously, positional cloning identified mutations in LIM homeobox transcription factor 1 alpha gene (Lmx1a) in three dr alleles. Two of these alleles, however, are extinct and unavailable for further analysis. In this article we report a new spontaneous dr allele and describe the Lmx1a mutations in this and six additional dr alleles. Strikingly, deletion null, missense, and frameshift mutations in these alleles all cause similar cerebellar malformations, suggesting that all dr mutations analyzed to date are null alleles.