Enhanced retinal ganglion cell differentiation by ath5 and NSCL1 coexpression

Gene expression is dynamically regulated in retinal progenitor cells prior to and during overt cellular differentiation

The retina is comprised of one glial and six neuronal populations that are generated from a multipotent pool of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) during development. To give rise to these different cell types, RPCs undergo temporal identity transitions, displaying distinct gene expression profiles at different stages of differentiation. Little, however, is known about temporal differences in RPC identities prior to the onset of overt cellular differentiation, during the period when a retinal identity is gradually acquired. Here we examined the sequential onset of expression of regional markers (i.e., homeodomain transcription factors) and cell fate determinants (i.e., basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors and neurogenic genes) in RPCs from the earliest appearance of a morphologically-distinct retina. By performing a comparative analysis of the expression of a panel of 27 homeodomain, basic-helix-loop-helix and Notch pathway genes between embryonic day (E) 8.75 and postnatal day (P) 9, we identified six distinct RPC molecular profiles. At E8.75, the earliest stage assayed, murine RPCs expressed five homeodomain genes and a single neurogenic gene (Pax6, Six3, Six6, Rx, Otx2, Hes1). This early gene expression profile was remarkably similar to that of 'early' RPCs in the amphibian ciliary marginal zone (CMZ), where RPCs are compartmentalised according to developmental stage, and homologs of Pax6, Six3 and Rx are expressed in the 'early' stem cell zone. As development proceeds, expression of additional homeodomain, bHLH and neurogenic genes was gradually initiated in murine RPCs, allowing distinct genetic profiles to also be defined at E9.5, E10.5, E12.5, E15.5 and P0. In addition, RPCs in the postnatal ciliary margin, where retinal stem cells are retained throughout life, displayed a unique molecular signature, expressing all of the early-onset genes as well as several late-onset markers, indicative of a 'mixed' temporal identity. Taken together, the identification of temporal differences in gene expression in mammalian RPCs during pre-neurogenic developmental stages leads to new insights into how regional identities are progressively acquired during development, while comparisons at later stages highlight the dynamic nature of gene expression in temporally distinct RPC pools.

Temporal and spatial expression of CCN3 during retina development

NOV/CCN3 is one of the founding members of the CCN (Cyr61 CTGF NOV) family. In the avian retina, CCN3 expression is mostly located within the central region of the inner nuclear layer. As retinal development progresses and this retinal layer differentiates and matures, CCN3 expression forms a dorsal-ventral and a central-peripheral gradient. CCN3 is produced by two glial cell types, peripapillary cells and Müller cells, as well as by horizontal, amacrine, and bipolar interneurons. In retinal neurons and Müller cell cultures, CCN3 expression is induced by activated BMP signaling, whereas Notch signaling decreases CCN3 mRNA and protein levels in Müller cells and has no effect in retinal neurons. In Müller cells, the CCN3 expression detected may thus result from a balance between the Notch and BMP signaling pathways.

Step-wise specification of retinal stem cells during normal embryogenesis

The specification of embryonic cells to produce the retina begins at early embryonic stages as a multi-step process that gradually restricts fate potentials. First, a subset of embryonic cells becomes competent to form retina by their lack of expression of endo-mesoderm-specifying genes. From these cells, a more restricted subset is biased to form retina by virtue of their close proximity to sources of bone morphogenetic protein antagonists during neural induction. During gastrulation, the definitive RSCs (retinal stem cells) are specified as the eye field by interactions with underlying mesoderm and the expression of a network of retina-specifying genes. As the eye field is transformed into the optic vesicle and optic cup, a heterogeneous population of RPCs (retinal progenitor cells) forms to give rise to the different domains of the retina: the optic stalk, retinal pigmented epithelium and neural retina. Further diversity of RPCs appears to occur under the influences of cell-cell interactions, cytokines and combinations of regulatory genes, leading to the differentiation of a multitude of different retinal cell types. This review examines what is known about each sequential step in retinal specification during normal vertebrate development, and how that knowledge will be important to understand how RSCs might be manipulated for regenerative therapies to treat retinal diseases.

Cytoskeleton proteins previously considered exclusive to ganglion cells are transiently expressed by all retinal neuronal precursors

Background

Understanding the mechanisms governing cell fate specification remains one of the main challenges in the study of retinal development. In this context, molecular markers that identify specific cell types become crucial tools for the analysis and interpretation of these phenomena. In studies using the developing chick retina, expression of the mid-size neurofilament (NF-M) and a chick-specific microtubule associated protein recognized by the RA4 antibody (MAP(RA4)), have been broadly used to selectively identify ganglion cells and their committed precursors. However, observations in our laboratory suggested that the expression of these proteins may not be restricted to cells of the ganglion cell lineage. Because of its potential significance in the field, we pursued a detailed analysis of the expression of these two molecules in combination with an array of proteins that allowed precise identification of all retinal cell-type precursors throughout the development of the chick retina.

Results

Both, NF-M and MAP(RA4) proteins, showed a dynamic pattern of expression coincident with the progression of retinal cell differentiation. Both proteins were coexpressed spatially and temporally in postmitotic neuronal precursors throughout development. Expression of both proteins was seen in ganglion cell precursors and adult differentiated ganglion cells, but they were also transiently expressed by precursors of the photoreceptor, horizontal, bipolar and amacrine cell lineages.

Conclusions

We have clearly demonstrated that, contrary to the generally accepted paradigm, expression of NF-M and MAP(RA4) proteins is not exclusive to ganglion cells. Rather, both proteins are transiently expressed by all neuronal retinal progenitors in a developmentally-regulated manner. In addition, MAP(RA4) and NF-M are the first molecules so far characterized that may allow unambiguous identification of postmitotic precursors from the pool of mitotically active progenitors and/or the differentiated cell population during retinogenesis. These results are of significant impact for the field of developmental biology of the retina, since they provide novel and important information for the appropriate design and interpretation of studies on retinal cell differentiation, as well as for the reinterpretation of previously published studies.

EBF factors drive expression of multiple classes of target genes governing neuronal development

Background

Early B cell factor (EBF) family members are transcription factors known to have important roles in several aspects of vertebrate neurogenesis, including commitment, migration and differentiation. Knowledge of how EBF family members contribute to neurogenesis is limited by a lack of detailed understanding of genes that are transcriptionally regulated by these factors.

Results

We performed a microarray screen in Xenopus animal caps to search for targets of EBF transcriptional activity, and identified candidate targets with multiple roles, including transcription factors of several classes. We determined that, among the most upregulated candidate genes with expected neuronal functions, most require EBF activity for some or all of their expression, and most have overlapping expression with ebf genes. We also found that the candidate target genes that had the most strongly overlapping expression patterns with ebf genes were predicted to be direct transcriptional targets of EBF transcriptional activity.

Conclusions

The identification of candidate targets that are transcription factor genes, including nscl-1, emx1 and aml1, improves our understanding of how EBF proteins participate in the hierarchy of transcription control during neuronal development, and suggests novel mechanisms by which EBF activity promotes migration and differentiation. Other candidate targets, including pcdh8 and kcnk5, expand our knowledge of the types of terminal differentiated neuronal functions that EBF proteins regulate.

Generating retinal neurons by reprogramming retinal pigment epithelial cells

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Retinal degenerations cause blindness. One potential therapy is cell replacement. Because the human retina lacks regeneration capacity, much attention has been directed towards searching for cells that can differentiate into retinal neurons.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

We discuss the possibility of using transcription factor genes to channel retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells' capabilities of proliferation and plasticity towards the production of retinal neurons.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

Experiments with chick embryos show that RPE cells - in the eye, in explant, or in a dissociated cell culture - can give rise to cells resembling retinal neurons when reprogrammed with regulatory genes involved in retinal neurogenesis. Depending on the regulatory gene used, reprogramming generates cells exhibiting traits of photoreceptor cells, amacrine cells and/or young ganglion neurons.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Gene-directed reprogramming of chick RPE can efficiently generate cells that exhibit traits of retinal neurons. Remaining to be addressed is the question of whether the results from chicks apply to mammals. Since the RPE is located adjacent to the neural retina, RPE reprogramming, if successful in mammals, may offer an approach to repopulate the neural retina without involving cell transplantation.

Neurogenin1 effectively reprograms cultured chick retinal pigment epithelial cells to differentiate toward photoreceptors

Photoreceptors are highly specialized sensory neurons in the retina, and their degeneration results in blindness. Replacement with developing photoreceptor cells promises to be an effective therapy, but it requires a supply of new photoreceptors, because the neural retina in human eyes lacks regeneration capability. We report efficient generation of differentiating, photoreceptor-like neurons from chick retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells propagated in culture through reprogramming with neurogenin1 (ngn1). In reprogrammed culture, a large number of the cells (85.0% +/- 5.9%) began to differentiate toward photoreceptors. Reprogrammed cells expressed transcription factors that set in motion photoreceptor differentiation, including Crx, Nr2E3, NeuroD, and RXRgamma, and phototransduction pathway components, including transducin, cGMP-gated channel, and red opsin of cone photoreceptors (equivalent to rhodopsin of rod photoreceptors). They developed inner segments rich in mitochondria. Furthermore, they responded to light by decreasing their cellular free calcium (Ca(2+)) levels and responded to 9-cis-retinal by increasing their Ca(2+) levels after photobleaching, hallmarks of photoreceptor physiology. The high efficiency and the advanced photoreceptor differentiation indicate ngn1 as a gene of choice to reprogram RPE progeny cells to differentiate into photoreceptor neurons in future cell replacement studies.

Pro-photoreceptor activity of chick neurogenin1

PURPOSE

Better understanding of photoreceptor fate specification may lead to efficient production of photoreceptors for cell replacement studies. The authors investigated the role of proneural bHLH gene neurogenin1 (ngn1) in photoreceptor genesis using the chick retina.

METHODS

In situ hybridization was used to delineate the spatial and temporal pattern of ngn1 expression. RCAS retrovirus was used to drive overexpression of ngn1 in retinal cells, and siRNA was used to reduce ngn1 expression in loss-of-function experiments.

RESULTS

Chick ngn1 was transiently expressed during early phases of retinal neurogenesis, from embryonic day (E)3 to E6, with cells expressing ngn1 confined to the apical side of the retinal neuroepithelium. The time window and the anatomic location of ngn1 expression coincided with photoreceptor genesis and differed from those of other transiently expressed proneural bHLH genes, such as ash1, ath3, ath5, and ngn2. Most ngn1-expressing cells lacked BrdU incorporation and lacked phosphorylated histone H3. In low-density cell culture, ngn1 overexpression increased neuroD expression and expanded the photoreceptor population but reduced the ganglion population. Treatment of dissociated retinal cells with siRNA against ngn1 mRNA specifically reduced the photoreceptor population. Overexpression of ngn1 in the retina reduced the expression of ash1, ath5, chx10, and ngn2.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest that ngn1 participates in a complex transcriptional network and may play a role in guiding a progenitor cell to the photoreceptor pathway.

Proneural gene ash1 promotes amacrine cell production in the chick retina

The diverse types of neurons and Müller glia in the vertebrate retina are believed to arise from common progenitor cells. To better understand how neural diversity is achieved during retinal neurogenesis, we examined the function of ash1, a proneural bHLH gene expressed in progenitor cells throughout retinal neurogenesis. Published studies using retinal explant culture derived from knockout mice concluded that ash1 is required for the production of late-born neurons, including bipolar cells. In this study, gain-of-function experiments were carried out in ovo in embryonic chick retina. In the developing chick retina, expression of ash1 temporally overlapped with, but spatially differed from, the expression of ngn2, also a proneural gene expressed in progenitor cells throughout retinal neurogenesis. Retrovirus-driven overexpression of ash1 in the developing chick retina decreased the progenitor population (BrdU+ or expressing ngn2), expanded the amacrine population (AP2alpha+ or Pax6+), and reduced bipolar (chx10 mRNA+) and Müller glial (vimentin+) populations. Photoreceptor deficiency occurred after the completion of neurogenesis. The number of ganglion cells, which are born first during retinal neurogenesis, remained unchanged. Similar overexpression of ngn2 did not produce discernible changes in retinal neurogenesis, nor in ash1 expression. These results suggest that ash1 promotes the production of amacrine cells and thus may participate in a regulatory network governing neural diversity in the chick retina.

Reprogramming chick RPE progeny cells to differentiate towards retinal neurons by ash1

PURPOSE

Harnessing a cell culture of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to give rise to retinal neurons may offer a source of developing neurons for cell-replacement studies. This study explores the possibility of reprogramming RPE progeny cells to differentiate toward retinal neurons with achaete-scute homolog 1 (ash1), a proneural gene that is expressed in progenitor cells in the developing retina and promotes amacrine cell production when overexpressed in the chick retina.

METHODS

Replication Competent Avian Splice (RCAS) retrovirus was used to drive the ectopic expression of ash1 in cell cultures of dissociated RPE isolated from day 6 chick embryos. RCAS expressing green fluorescent protein (RCAS-GFP) was used as control. The cultures were examined for de novo generation of neuron-like cells by molecular, cellular, and physiologic criteria.

RESULTS

In control cultures infected with RCAS-GFP, RPE cells appeared cobblestone-like and often darkly pigmented. In cultures infected with RCAS-ash1, however, cells remained de-pigmented and frequently formed clusters. Further examination at the morphological and molecular levels showed the development of elaborate processes characteristic of neurons and the expression of genes/markers that identify different types of retinal neurons. The most prevalently expressed neural marker was calretinin, which in the chick retina identifies amacrine, ganglion, and horizontal cells. As an assay for functional maturation, the reprogrammed cells were analyzed for the presence of functional, ionotropic glutamate receptors that lead to a rise in the cytosolic free calcium (Ca(2+)) concentration. Calcium imaging showed that reprogrammed cells responded to glutamate and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) by increasing their Ca(2+) concentrations, which, after reaching a peak level, returned to the basal level. The response curves of reprogrammed cells resembled those of cultured retinal neurons.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that RPE progeny cells can be reprogrammed by ash1 to develop molecular, morphological, and physiologic properties that are characteristic of retinal neurons.

bHLH genes and retinal cell fate specification

The various cell types in the vertebrate retina arise from a pool of common progenitors. The way that the cell types are specified has been a long-standing issue. Decades of research have yielded a large body of information regarding the involvement of extrinsic factors, and only recently has the function of intrinsic factors begun to emerge. This article reviews recent studies addressing the role of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors in specifying retinal cell types, with an emphasis on bHLHhierarchies leading to photoreceptor production. Photoreceptor genesis appears to employ two transcriptional pathways: ngn2-->neuroD-->raxL and ath5-->neuroD-->raxL. ngn2 and ath5 function in progenitors, which can potentially develop into different cell types. neuroD represents one of the central steps in photoreceptor specification. Ath5 is also essential for ganglion cell development. It remains to be demonstrated whether a bHLH gene functions as a key player in specifying the other types of retinal cells. Genetic knockout studies have indicated intricate cross-regulation among bHLH genes. Future studies are expected to unveil the mechanism by which bHLH factors network with intrinsic factors and communicate with extrinsic factors to ensure a balanced production of the various types of retinal cells.

Exploring RPE as a source of photoreceptors: differentiation and integration of transdifferentiating cells grafted into embryonic chick eyes

PURPOSE

To study the possibility of generating photoreceptors through programming RPE transdifferentiation by examining cell differentiation after transplantation into the developing chick eye.

METHODS

RPE was isolated, and the cells were dissociated, cultured, and guided to transdifferentiate by infection with retrovirus expressing neuroD (RCAS-neuroD), using RCAS-green fluorescence protein (GFP) as a control. The cells were then harvested and microinjected into the developing eyes of day 5 to day 7 chick embryos, and their development and integration were analyzed.

RESULTS

Cells from the control culture integrated into the host RPE. When grafted cells were present in large number, multilayered RPE-like tissues were formed, and the extra tissues consisted of grafted cells and host cells. None of the cells from the control culture expressed photoreceptor-specific genes. In contrast, most cells from RCAS-neuroD-infected culture remained depigmented. A large number of them expressed photoreceptor-specific genes, such as visinin and opsins. Antibodies against red opsin decorated the apical tips and the cell bodies of the grafted, transdifferentiating cells. In the subretinal space, visinin(+) cells aligned along the RPE or an RPE-like structure. When integrated into the host outer nuclear layer, grafted cells emanated elaborate, axonal arborization into the outer plexiform layer of the host retina.

CONCLUSIONS

Cultured RPE cells retained their remarkable regenerative capabilities. Cells guided to transdifferentiate along the photoreceptor pathway by neuroD developed a highly ordered cellular structure and could integrate into the outer nuclear layer. These data suggest that, through genetic programming, RPE cells could be a potential source of photoreceptor cells.

Pea3 expression is regulated by FGF signaling in developing retina

FGF signaling has been implicated as an important regulator of retinal development. As a first step in characterizing potential downstream targets of FGF signaling in the retina, we have analyzed expression of Pea3, a member of the Pea3 class of Ets-domain transcription factors, in the developing eye. We find that Pea3 is expressed in the developing retina, and its transcription is regulated by FGF receptor activation. In addition, FGF signaling activates Cath5, a gene necessary for retinal ganglion cell differentiation. These results suggest that FGF signaling via MAPK up-regulates transcription factors that in turn control retinal ganglion cell differentiation.

A role of ath5 in inducing neuroD and the photoreceptor pathway

Photoreceptors in the vertebrate retina are light-sensitive neurons, and their degeneration results in irreversible visual loss. Understanding how photoreceptor fate is determined is a prerequisite for developing photoreceptor replacement therapies. Previous studies identified two basic helix-loop-helix genes, neurogenin2 (ngn2) and neuroD, participating in a genetic pathway leading to photoreceptor genesis. Here we present experimental data suggesting that ath5, which is known for its critical role in retinal ganglion cell development, may also lead to photoreceptor production. In the developing retina, ath5 expression was detected in two zones of cells, and coexpression with neuroD was observed in the zone adjacent to young photoreceptor cells accumulating on the retinal pigment epithelial side. Retroviral-driven misexpression of ath5 in retinal cells increased the population of photoreceptor cells, as well as ganglion cells, in a developmental stage-dependent manner that is consistent with ath5 being involved in the development of multiple types of retinal neurons. Ectopic ath5 expression in cultures of non-neural retinal pigment epithelial cells elicited transdifferentiation into cells that expressed photoreceptor-specific genes and displayed photoreceptor-like morphologies. Gene expression analysis showed that ngn2 did not induce ath5, and ath5 did not induce ngn2, but both induced neuroD and RaxL. These data suggest a pathway of "ath5 --> neuroD --> photoreceptor genes" separate from yet convergent with the ngn2 pathway.