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Liu X, Pacwa A, Bresciani G, Swierczynska M, Dorecka M, Smedowski A. Retinal primary cilia and their dysfunction in retinal neurodegenerative diseases: beyond ciliopathies. Mol Med 2024; 30:109. [PMID: 39060957 PMCID: PMC11282803 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-024-00875-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary cilia are sensory organelles that extend from the cellular membrane and are found in a wide range of cell types. Cilia possess a plethora of vital components that enable the detection and transmission of several signaling pathways, including Wnt and Shh. In turn, the regulation of ciliogenesis and cilium length is influenced by various factors, including autophagy, organization of the actin cytoskeleton, and signaling inside the cilium. Irregularities in the development, maintenance, and function of this cellular component lead to a range of clinical manifestations known as ciliopathies. The majority of people with ciliopathies have a high prevalence of retinal degeneration. The most common theory is that retinal degeneration is primarily caused by functional and developmental problems within retinal photoreceptors. The contribution of other ciliated retinal cell types to retinal degeneration has not been explored to date. In this review, we examine the occurrence of primary cilia in various retinal cell types and their significance in pathology. Additionally, we explore potential therapeutic approaches targeting ciliopathies. By engaging in this endeavor, we present new ideas that elucidate innovative concepts for the future investigation and treatment of retinal ciliopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ceglana 35, 40-514, Katowice, Poland.
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anna Pacwa
- GlaucoTech Co, Katowice, Poland
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medykow 18, 40-752, Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Marta Swierczynska
- Department of Ophthalmology, Professor K. Gibinski University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ceglana 35, 40-514, Katowice, Poland
| | - Mariola Dorecka
- Department of Ophthalmology, Professor K. Gibinski University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ceglana 35, 40-514, Katowice, Poland
| | - Adrian Smedowski
- GlaucoTech Co, Katowice, Poland.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Professor K. Gibinski University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland.
- Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ceglana 35, 40-514, Katowice, Poland.
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Zheng Y, Stormo GD, Chen S. Aberrant homeodomain-DNA cooperative dimerization underlies distinct developmental defects in two dominant CRX retinopathy models. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.12.584677. [PMID: 38559186 PMCID: PMC10979960 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.12.584677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Paired-class homeodomain transcription factors (HD TFs) play essential roles in vertebrate development, and their mutations are linked to human diseases. One unique feature of paired-class HD is cooperative dimerization on specific palindrome DNA sequences. Yet, the functional significance of HD cooperative dimerization in animal development and its dysregulation in diseases remain elusive. Using the retinal TF Cone-rod Homeobox (CRX) as a model, we have studied how blindness-causing mutations in the paired HD, p.E80A and p.K88N, alter CRX's cooperative dimerization, lead to gene misexpression and photoreceptor developmental deficits in dominant manners. CRXE80A maintains binding at monomeric WT CRX motifs but is deficient in cooperative binding at dimeric motifs. CRXE80A's cooperativity defect impacts the exponential increase of photoreceptor gene expression in terminal differentiation and produces immature, non-functional photoreceptors in the CrxE80A retinas. CRXK88N is highly cooperative and localizes to ectopic genomic sites with strong enrichment of dimeric HD motifs. CRXK88N's altered biochemical properties disrupt CRX's ability to direct dynamic chromatin remodeling during development to activate photoreceptor differentiation programs and silence progenitor programs. Our study here provides in vitro and in vivo molecular evidence that paired-class HD cooperative dimerization regulates neuronal development and dysregulation of cooperative binding contributes to severe dominant blinding retinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiao Zheng
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
| | - Gary D. Stormo
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
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Zheng Y, Chen S. Transcriptional precision in photoreceptor development and diseases - Lessons from 25 years of CRX research. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 18:1347436. [PMID: 38414750 PMCID: PMC10896975 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2024.1347436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate retina is made up of six specialized neuronal cell types and one glia that are generated from a common retinal progenitor. The development of these distinct cell types is programmed by transcription factors that regulate the expression of specific genes essential for cell fate specification and differentiation. Because of the complex nature of transcriptional regulation, understanding transcription factor functions in development and disease is challenging. Research on the Cone-rod homeobox transcription factor CRX provides an excellent model to address these challenges. In this review, we reflect on 25 years of mammalian CRX research and discuss recent progress in elucidating the distinct pathogenic mechanisms of four CRX coding variant classes. We highlight how in vitro biochemical studies of CRX protein functions facilitate understanding CRX regulatory principles in animal models. We conclude with a brief discussion of the emerging systems biology approaches that could accelerate precision medicine for CRX-linked diseases and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiao Zheng
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Saint Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Saint Louis, MO, United States
| | - Shiming Chen
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Saint Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Saint Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, United States
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Pan D, Zhang X, Jin K, Jin ZB. CRX haploinsufficiency compromises photoreceptor precursor translocation and differentiation in human retinal organoids. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:346. [PMID: 38049871 PMCID: PMC10696917 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03590-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The CRX-associated autosomal dominant retinopathies suggest a possible pathogenic mechanism of gene haploinsufficiency. However, based on reported human patient cases and studies with mouse models, it is hard to confirm the specific weight of haploinsufficiency in pathogenesis due to the interspecies gaps between gene expression and function. METHODS We created monoallelic CRX by replacing one allele with tdTomato in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and subsequently dissect pathogenesis in hESCs-derived retinal organoids. We used transcriptome and immunofluorescence analyses to dissect phenotypic differences between CRX-monoallelic knockout and control wildtype organoids. For location analysis of CRX+ cells, a CRX-expression-tracing system was constructed in control hESCs. We implemented long-term live-cell imaging to describe the translocation of CRX+ cells between two groups in early organoid differentiation. The expression pattern of these dynamic differences was validated using RNA-seq and immunofluorescence assays. RESULTS We identified delayed differentiation of outer nuclear layer (ONL) stratification along with thinner ONL, serious loss of photoreceptor outer segments, as well as downregulated expression of gene for phototransduction and inner/outer segment formation. By live-cell imaging and immunostaining, we observed the overtension of actomyosin network and the arrested translocation of monoallelic CRX+ cells in the early stage of retinal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed that gene haploinsufficiency is the mechanism for the dominant pathogenicity of CRX and discovered that CRX regulated postmitotic photoreceptor precursor translocation in addition to its specification of photoreceptor cell fates during human retinal development. These findings revealed a new underlying mechanism of CRX dominant pathogenesis and provided a new clue for the treatment of CRX-associated human retinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deng Pan
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Kangxin Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China
| | - Zi-Bing Jin
- Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100730, China.
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Zheng Y, Sun C, Zhang X, Ruzycki PA, Chen S. Missense mutations in CRX homeodomain cause dominant retinopathies through two distinct mechanisms. eLife 2023; 12:RP87147. [PMID: 37963072 PMCID: PMC10645426 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Homeodomain transcription factors (HD TFs) are instrumental to vertebrate development. Mutations in HD TFs have been linked to human diseases, but their pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we use Cone-Rod Homeobox (CRX) as a model to decipher the disease-causing mechanisms of two HD mutations, p.E80A and p.K88N, that produce severe dominant retinopathies. Through integrated analysis of molecular and functional evidence in vitro and in knock-in mouse models, we uncover two novel gain-of-function mechanisms: p.E80A increases CRX-mediated transactivation of canonical CRX target genes in developing photoreceptors; p.K88N alters CRX DNA-binding specificity resulting in binding at ectopic sites and severe perturbation of CRX target gene expression. Both mechanisms produce novel retinal morphological defects and hinder photoreceptor maturation distinct from loss-of-function models. This study reveals the distinct roles of E80 and K88 residues in CRX HD regulatory functions and emphasizes the importance of transcriptional precision in normal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiao Zheng
- Molecular Genetic and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
| | - Chi Sun
- Molecular Genetic and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
| | - Philip A Ruzycki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
| | - Shiming Chen
- Molecular Genetic and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St LouisSaint LouisUnited States
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Gurdita A, Pham Truong VQB, Dolati P, Juric M, Tachibana N, Liu ZC, Ortín-Martínez A, Ibrahimi M, Pokrajac NT, Comanita L, Pacal M, Huang M, Sugita S, Bremner R, Wallace VA. Progenitor division and cell autonomous neurosecretion are required for rod photoreceptor sublaminar positioning. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308204120. [PMID: 37812728 PMCID: PMC10589646 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308204120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration is essential for the laminar stratification and connectivity of neurons in the central nervous system. In the retina, photoreceptors (PRs) migrate to positions according to birthdate, with early-born cells localizing to the basal-most side of the outer nuclear layer. It was proposed that apical progenitor mitoses physically drive these basal translocations non-cell autonomously, but direct evidence is lacking, and whether other mechanisms participate is unknown. Here, combining loss- or gain-of-function assays to manipulate cell cycle regulators (Sonic hedgehog, Cdkn1a/p21) with an in vivo lentiviral labelling strategy, we demonstrate that progenitor division is one of two forces driving basal translocation of rod soma. Indeed, replacing Shh activity rescues abnormal rod translocation in retinal explants. Unexpectedly, we show that rod differentiation also promotes rod soma translocation. While outer segment function or formation is dispensable, Crx and SNARE-dependent synaptic function are essential. Thus, both non-cell and cell autonomous mechanisms underpin PR soma sublaminar positioning in the mammalian retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay Gurdita
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Victor Q. B. Pham Truong
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Parnian Dolati
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Matey Juric
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Nobuhiko Tachibana
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Zhongda C. Liu
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Arturo Ortín-Martínez
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Mostafa Ibrahimi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Nenad T. Pokrajac
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Lacrimioara Comanita
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
| | - Marek Pacal
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ONM5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Mengjia Huang
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Shuzo Sugita
- Division of Experimental and Translational Neuroscience, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Rod Bremner
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, ONM5G 1X5, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5T 3A9, Canada
| | - Valerie A. Wallace
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5S 1A8, Canada
- Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ONM5T 2S8, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ONM5T 3A9, Canada
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Zheng Y, Sun C, Zhang X, Ruzycki PA, Chen S. Missense mutations in CRX homeodomain cause dominant retinopathies through two distinct mechanisms. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.01.526652. [PMID: 36778408 PMCID: PMC9915647 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.01.526652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Homeodomain transcription factors (HD TFs) are instrumental to vertebrate development. Mutations in HD TFs have been linked to human diseases, but their pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive. Here we use Cone-Rod Homeobox (CRX) as a model to decipher the disease-causing mechanisms of two HD mutations, p.E80A and p.K88N, that produce severe dominant retinopathies. Through integrated analysis of molecular and functional evidence in vitro and in knock-in mouse models, we uncover two novel gain-of-function mechanisms: p.E80A increases CRX-mediated transactivation of canonical CRX target genes in developing photoreceptors; p.K88N alters CRX DNA-binding specificity resulting in binding at ectopic sites and severe perturbation of CRX target gene expression. Both mechanisms produce novel retinal morphological defects and hinder photoreceptor maturation distinct from loss-of-function models. This study reveals the distinct roles of E80 and K88 residues in CRX HD regulatory functions and emphasizes the importance of transcriptional precision in normal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqiao Zheng
- Molecular Genetic and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Chi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Philip A. Ruzycki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Shiming Chen
- Molecular Genetic and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
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Occelli LM, Tran NM, Chen S, Petersen-Jones SM. Cat LCA-CRX Model, Homozygous for an Antimorphic Mutation Has a Unique Phenotype. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:15. [PMID: 37351895 PMCID: PMC10292669 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.6.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Mutations in the CRX transcription factor are associated with dominant retinopathies often with more severe macular changes. The CRX-mutant cat (Rdy-A182d2) is the only animal model with the equivalent of the critical retinal region for high-acuity vision, the macula. Heterozygous cats (CRXRdy/+) have a severe phenotype modeling Leber congenital amaurosis. This study reports the distinct ocular phenotype of homozygous cats (CRXRdy/Rdy). Methods Gene expression changes were assessed at both mRNA and protein levels. Changes in globe morphology and retinal structure were analyzed. Results CRXRdy/Rdy cats had high levels of mutant CRX mRNA and protein. The expression of photoreceptor target genes was severely impaired although there were variable effects on the expression of other transcription factors. The photoreceptor cells remained immature and failed to elaborate outer segments consistent with the lack of retinal function. The retinal layers displayed a progressive remodeling with cell loss but maintained overall retinal thickness due to gliosis. Rapid photoreceptor loss largely occurred in the macula-equivalent retinal region. The homozygous cats developed markedly increased ocular globe length. Conclusions The phenotype of CRXRdy/Rdy cats was more severe compared to CRXRdy/+ cats by several metrics. Translational Relevance The CRX-mutant cat is the only model for CRX-retinopathies with a macula-equivalent region. A prominent feature of the CRXRdy/Rdy cat phenotype not detectable in homozygous mouse models was the rapid degeneration of the macula-equivalent retinal region highlighting the value of this large animal model and its future importance in the testing of translational therapies aiming to restore vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence M. Occelli
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Nicholas M. Tran
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shiming Chen
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Bunker J, Bashir M, Bailey S, Boodram P, Perry A, Delaney R, Tsachaki M, Sprecher SG, Nelson E, Call GB, Rister J. Blimp-1/PRDM1 and Hr3/RORβ specify the blue-sensitive photoreceptor subtype in Drosophila by repressing the hippo pathway. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1058961. [PMID: 36960411 PMCID: PMC10027706 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1058961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
During terminal differentiation of the mammalian retina, transcription factors control binary cell fate decisions that generate functionally distinct subtypes of photoreceptor neurons. For instance, Otx2 and RORβ activate the expression of the transcriptional repressor Blimp-1/PRDM1 that represses bipolar interneuron fate and promotes rod photoreceptor fate. Moreover, Otx2 and Crx promote expression of the nuclear receptor Nrl that promotes rod photoreceptor fate and represses cone photoreceptor fate. Mutations in these four transcription factors cause severe eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. Here, we show that a post-mitotic binary fate decision in Drosophila color photoreceptor subtype specification requires ecdysone signaling and involves orthologs of these transcription factors: Drosophila Blimp-1/PRDM1 and Hr3/RORβ promote blue-sensitive (Rh5) photoreceptor fate and repress green-sensitive (Rh6) photoreceptor fate through the transcriptional repression of warts/LATS, the nexus of the phylogenetically conserved Hippo tumor suppressor pathway. Moreover, we identify a novel interaction between Blimp-1 and warts, whereby Blimp-1 represses a warts intronic enhancer in blue-sensitive photoreceptors and thereby gives rise to specific expression of warts in green-sensitive photoreceptors. Together, these results reveal that conserved transcriptional regulators play key roles in terminal cell fate decisions in both the Drosophila and the mammalian retina, and the mechanistic insights further deepen our understanding of how Hippo pathway signaling is repurposed to control photoreceptor fates for Drosophila color vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Bunker
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mhamed Bashir
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sydney Bailey
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pamela Boodram
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
- NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Alexis Perry
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rory Delaney
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Tsachaki
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Simon G. Sprecher
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Erik Nelson
- Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, United States
| | - Gerald B. Call
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, United States
| | - Jens Rister
- Department of Biology, Integrated Sciences Complex, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Jens Rister,
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Sun C, Chen S. Gene Augmentation for Autosomal Dominant CRX-Associated Retinopathies. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1415:135-141. [PMID: 37440026 PMCID: PMC11010719 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-27681-1_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The cone-rod homeobox (CRX) protein is a key transcription factor essential for photoreceptor function and survival. Mutations in human CRX gene are linked to a wide spectrum of blinding diseases ranging from mild macular dystrophy to severe Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). These diseases are still incurable and mostly inherited in an autosomal dominant form. Dysfunctional mutant CRX protein interferes with the function of wild-type CRX protein, demonstrating the dominant negative effect. At present, gene augmentation is the most promising treatment strategy for hereditary diseases. This study aims to review the pathogenic mechanisms of various CRX mutations and propose two therapeutic strategies to rescue sick photoreceptors in CRX-associated retinopathies, namely, Tet-On-hCRX system and adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene augmentation. The outcome of proposed studies will guide future translational research and suggest guidelines for therapy evaluation in terms of treatment safety and efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
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11
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Sun C, Chen S. Disease-causing mutations in genes encoding transcription factors critical for photoreceptor development. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1134839. [PMID: 37181651 PMCID: PMC10172487 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1134839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Photoreceptor development of the vertebrate visual system is controlled by a complex transcription regulatory network. OTX2 is expressed in the mitotic retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and controls photoreceptor genesis. CRX that is activated by OTX2 is expressed in photoreceptor precursors after cell cycle exit. NEUROD1 is also present in photoreceptor precursors that are ready to specify into rod and cone photoreceptor subtypes. NRL is required for the rod fate and regulates downstream rod-specific genes including the orphan nuclear receptor NR2E3 which further activates rod-specific genes and simultaneously represses cone-specific genes. Cone subtype specification is also regulated by the interplay of several transcription factors such as THRB and RXRG. Mutations in these key transcription factors are responsible for ocular defects at birth such as microphthalmia and inherited photoreceptor diseases such as Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and allied dystrophies. In particular, many mutations are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, including the majority of missense mutations in CRX and NRL. In this review, we describe the spectrum of photoreceptor defects that are associated with mutations in the above-mentioned transcription factors, and summarize the current knowledge of molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenic mutations. At last, we deliberate the outstanding gaps in our understanding of the genotype-phenotype correlations and outline avenues for future research of the treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Chi Sun,
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Langouët M, Jolicoeur C, Javed A, Mattar P, Gearhart MD, Daiger SP, Bertelsen M, Tranebjærg L, Rendtorff ND, Grønskov K, Jespersgaard C, Chen R, Sun Z, Li H, Alirezaie N, Majewski J, Bardwell VJ, Sui R, Koenekoop RK, Cayouette M. Mutations in BCOR, a co-repressor of CRX/OTX2, are associated with early-onset retinal degeneration. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabh2868. [PMID: 36070393 PMCID: PMC9451151 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abh2868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Many transcription factors regulating the production, survival, and function of photoreceptor cells have been identified, but little is known about transcriptional co-regulators in retinal health and disease. Here, we show that BCL6 co-repressor (BCOR), a Polycomb repressive complex 1 factor mutated in various cancers, is involved in photoreceptor degenerative diseases. Using proteomics and transcription assays, we report that BCOR interacts with the transcription factors CRX and OTX2 and reduces their ability to activate the promoters of photoreceptor-specific genes. CUT&RUN sequencing further shows that BCOR shares genome-wide binding profiles with CRX/OTX2, consistent with a general co-repression activity. We also identify missense mutations in human BCOR in five families that have no evidence of cancer but present severe early-onset X-linked retinal degeneration. Last, we show that the human BCOR mutants cause degeneration when expressed in the mouse retina and have enhanced repressive activity on OTX2. These results uncover a role for BCOR in photoreceptors in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maéva Langouët
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Christine Jolicoeur
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Awais Javed
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Pierre Mattar
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
| | - Micah D. Gearhart
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Development Biology Center, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Stephen P. Daiger
- EHGED Department, Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, University of Texas HSC, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mette Bertelsen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Ophthalmology, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Lisbeth Tranebjærg
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nanna D. Rendtorff
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karen Grønskov
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Catherine Jespersgaard
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, The Kennedy Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Zixi Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Najmeh Alirezaie
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jacek Majewski
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Vivian J. Bardwell
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Development Biology Center, Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ruifang Sui
- Department of Ophthalmology, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Robert K. Koenekoop
- Departments of Pediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Adult Ophthalmology and the McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michel Cayouette
- Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Montréal, QC H2W 1R7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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13
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Liang X, Brooks MJ, Swaroop A. Developmental genome-wide occupancy analysis of bZIP transcription factor NRL uncovers the role of c-Jun in early differentiation of rod photoreceptors in the mammalian retina. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:3914-3933. [PMID: 35776116 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The basic motif-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor NRL determines rod photoreceptor cell fate during retinal development, and its loss leads to cone-only retina in mice. NRL works synergistically with homeodomain protein CRX and other regulatory factors to control the transcription of most genes associated with rod morphogenesis and functional maturation, which span over a period of several weeks in the mammalian retina. We predicted that NRL gradually establishes rod cell identity and function by temporal and dynamic regulation of stage-specific transcriptional targets. Therefore, we mapped the genomic occupancy of NRL at four stages of mouse photoreceptor differentiation by CUT&RUN analysis. Dynamics of NRL-binding revealed concordance with the corresponding changes in transcriptome of the developing rods. Notably, we identified c-Jun proto-oncogene as one of the targets of NRL, which could bind to specific cis-elements in the c-Jun promoter and modulate its activity in HEK293 cells. Coimmunoprecipitation studies showed association of NRL with c-Jun, also a bZIP protein, in transfected cells as well as in developing mouse retina. Additionally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of c-Jun in the mouse retina in vivo resulted in altered expression of almost 1000 genes, with reduced expression of phototransduction genes and many direct targets of NRL in rod photoreceptors. We propose that c-Jun-NRL heterodimers prime the NRL-directed transcriptional program in neonatal rod photoreceptors before high NRL expression suppresses c-Jun at later stages. Our study highlights a broader cooperation among cell-type restricted and widely expressed bZIP proteins, such as c-Jun, in specific spatiotemporal contexts during cellular differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xulong Liang
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, MSC0610, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew J Brooks
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, MSC0610, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, MSC0610, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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14
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Friedman RZ, Granas DM, Myers CA, Corbo JC, Cohen BA, White MA. Information content differentiates enhancers from silencers in mouse photoreceptors. eLife 2021; 10:67403. [PMID: 34486522 PMCID: PMC8492058 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers and silencers often depend on the same transcription factors (TFs) and are conflated in genomic assays of TF binding or chromatin state. To identify sequence features that distinguish enhancers and silencers, we assayed massively parallel reporter libraries of genomic sequences targeted by the photoreceptor TF cone-rod homeobox (CRX) in mouse retinas. Both enhancers and silencers contain more TF motifs than inactive sequences, but relative to silencers, enhancers contain motifs from a more diverse collection of TFs. We developed a measure of information content that describes the number and diversity of motifs in a sequence and found that, while both enhancers and silencers depend on CRX motifs, enhancers have higher information content. The ability of information content to distinguish enhancers and silencers targeted by the same TF illustrates how motif context determines the activity of cis-regulatory sequences. Different cell types are established by activating and repressing the activity of specific sets of genes, a process controlled by proteins called transcription factors. Transcription factors work by recognizing and binding short stretches of DNA in parts of the genome called cis-regulatory sequences. A cis-regulatory sequence that increases the activity of a gene when bound by transcription factors is called an enhancer, while a sequence that causes a decrease in gene activity is called a silencer. To establish a cell type, a particular transcription factor will act on both enhancers and silencers that control the activity of different genes. For example, the transcription factor cone-rod homeobox (CRX) is critical for specifying different types of cells in the retina, and it acts on both enhancers and silencers. In rod photoreceptors, CRX activates rod genes by binding their enhancers, while repressing cone photoreceptor genes by binding their silencers. However, CRX always recognizes and binds to the same DNA sequence, known as its binding site, making it unclear why some cis-regulatory sequences bound to CRX act as silencers, while others act as enhancers. Friedman et al. sought to understand how enhancers and silencers, both bound by CRX, can have different effects on the genes they control. Since both enhancers and silencers contain CRX binding sites, the difference between the two must lie in the sequence of the DNA surrounding these binding sites. Using retinas that have been explanted from mice and kept alive in the laboratory, Friedman et al. tested the activity of thousands of CRX-binding sequences from the mouse genome. This showed that both enhancers and silencers have more copies of CRX-binding sites than sequences of the genome that are inactive. Additionally, the results revealed that enhancers have a diverse collection of binding sites for other transcription factors, while silencers do not. Friedman et al. developed a new metric they called information content, which captures the diverse combinations of different transcription binding sites that cis-regulatory sequences can have. Using this metric, Friedman et al. showed that it is possible to distinguish enhancers from silencers based on their information content. It is critical to understand how the DNA sequences of cis-regulatory regions determine their activity, because mutations in these regions of the genome can cause disease. However, since every person has thousands of benign mutations in cis-regulatory sequences, it is a challenge to identify specific disease-causing mutations, which are relatively rare. One long-term goal of models of enhancers and silencers, such as Friedman et al.’s information content model, is to understand how mutations can affect cis-regulatory sequences, and, in some cases, lead to disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Z Friedman
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - David M Granas
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Connie A Myers
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Joseph C Corbo
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, United States
| | - Barak A Cohen
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Michael A White
- Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States.,Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
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15
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Features of Retinal Neurogenesis as a Key Factor of Age-Related Neurodegeneration: Myth or Reality? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22147373. [PMID: 34298993 PMCID: PMC8303671 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that constitutes the most common cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly in the developed countries. Incomplete knowledge about its pathogenesis prevents the search for effective methods of prevention and treatment of AMD, primarily of its "dry" type which is by far the most common (90% of all AMD cases). In the recent years, AMD has become "younger": late stages of the disease are now detected in relatively young people. It is known that AMD pathogenesis-according to the age-related structural and functional changes in the retina-is linked with inflammation, hypoxia, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and an impairment of neurotrophic support, but the mechanisms that trigger the conversion of normal age-related changes to the pathological process as well as the reason for early AMD development remain unclear. In the adult mammalian retina, de novo neurogenesis is very limited. Therefore, the structural and functional features that arise during its maturation and formation can exert long-term effects on further ontogenesis of this tissue. The aim of this review was to discuss possible contributions of the changes/disturbances in retinal neurogenesis to the early development of AMD.
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16
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Kruczek K, Qu Z, Gentry J, Fadl BR, Gieser L, Hiriyanna S, Batz Z, Samant M, Samanta A, Chu CJ, Campello L, Brooks BP, Wu Z, Swaroop A. Gene Therapy of Dominant CRX-Leber Congenital Amaurosis using Patient Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Organoids. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:252-263. [PMID: 33513359 PMCID: PMC7878833 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the photoreceptor transcription factor gene cone-rod homeobox (CRX) lead to distinct retinopathy phenotypes, including early-onset vision impairment in dominant Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a patient with CRX-I138fs48 mutation, we established an in vitro model of CRX-LCA in retinal organoids that showed defective photoreceptor maturation by histology and gene profiling, with diminished expression of visual opsins. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated CRX gene augmentation therapy partially restored photoreceptor phenotype and expression of phototransduction-related genes as determined by single-cell RNA-sequencing. Retinal organoids derived from iPSCs of a second dominant CRX-LCA patient carrying K88N mutation revealed the loss of opsin expression as a common phenotype, which was alleviated by AAV-mediated augmentation of CRX. Our studies provide a proof-of-concept for developing gene therapy of dominant CRX-LCA and other CRX retinopathies. Leber congenital amaurosis caused by CRX mutations is modeled in retinal organoids Patient iPSCs-derived organoids show impaired expression of visual opsins AAV-mediated CRX delivery partially restores expression of phototransduction genes Gene therapy is applicable to mutations in DNA-binding and transactivation domains
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Kruczek
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zepeng Qu
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - James Gentry
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Benjamin R Fadl
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Linn Gieser
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Suja Hiriyanna
- Ocular Gene Therapy Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zachary Batz
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mugdha Samant
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Ananya Samanta
- Ocular Gene Therapy Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Colin J Chu
- Laboratory of Immune System Biology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Laura Campello
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Brian P Brooks
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zhijian Wu
- Ocular Gene Therapy Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, MSC0610, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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17
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Hargrove-Grimes P, Mondal AK, Gumerson J, Nellissery J, Aponte AM, Gieser L, Qian H, Fariss RN, Bonifacino JS, Li T, Swaroop A. Loss of endocytosis-associated RabGEF1 causes aberrant morphogenesis and altered autophagy in photoreceptors leading to retinal degeneration. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009259. [PMID: 33362196 PMCID: PMC7790415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Rab-GTPases and associated effectors mediate cargo transport through the endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells, regulating key processes such as membrane turnover, signal transduction, protein recycling and degradation. Using developmental transcriptome data, we identified Rabgef1 (encoding the protein RabGEF1 or Rabex-5) as the only gene associated with Rab GTPases that exhibited strong concordance with retinal photoreceptor differentiation. Loss of Rabgef1 in mice (Rabgef1-/-) resulted in defects specifically of photoreceptor morphology and almost complete loss of both rod and cone function as early as eye opening; however, aberrant outer segment formation could only partly account for visual function deficits. RabGEF1 protein in retinal photoreceptors interacts with Rabaptin-5, and RabGEF1 absence leads to reduction of early endosomes consistent with studies in other mammalian cells and tissues. Electron microscopy analyses reveal abnormal accumulation of macromolecular aggregates in autophagosome-like vacuoles and enhanced immunostaining for LC3A/B and p62 in Rabgef1-/- photoreceptors, consistent with compromised autophagy. Transcriptome analysis of the developing Rabgef1-/- retina reveals altered expression of 2469 genes related to multiple pathways including phototransduction, mitochondria, oxidative stress and endocytosis, suggesting an early trajectory of photoreceptor cell death. Our results implicate an essential role of the RabGEF1-modulated endocytic and autophagic pathways in photoreceptor differentiation and homeostasis. We propose that RabGEF1 and associated components are potential candidates for syndromic traits that include a retinopathy phenotype. Endocytosis and autophagy are evolutionarily conserved processes that are essential for maintenance of cellular homeostasis. RabGEF1 is a major regulator of the Rab5-GTPase, which participates in key steps during endocytosis and autophagy. We demonstrate that loss of RabGEF1 in mice causes specific developmental defects during photoreceptor outer segment formation, leading to visual dysfunction as early as eye opening followed by retinal degeneration. Rabgef1-/- retina shows a clear reduction in early endosomes as well as accumulation of autophagic vacuoles in developing photoreceptors. Together with transcriptome analysis, our studies suggest a trajectory of cellular events including altered autophagy that precede photoreceptor cell death in the absence of RabGEF1 and establish a critical role of endocytosis and autophagy in retinal development and proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Passley Hargrove-Grimes
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Anupam K. Mondal
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jessica Gumerson
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jacob Nellissery
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Angel M. Aponte
- Proteomics Core, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Linn Gieser
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Haohua Qian
- Visual Function Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Robert N. Fariss
- Biological Imaging Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Juan S. Bonifacino
- Neurosciences and Cellular and Structural Biology Division, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tiansen Li
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Ng CC, Carrera WM, McDonald HR, Agarwal A. Heterozygous CRX R90W mutation-associated adult-onset macular dystrophy with phenotype analogous to benign concentric annular macular dystrophy. Ophthalmic Genet 2020; 41:485-490. [PMID: 32689858 DOI: 10.1080/13816810.2020.1795890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Background Historically, CRX mutations have been associated with cone-rod dystrophy, cone dystrophy, Leber's congenital amaurosis, and retinitis pigmentosa. There is recent emerging evidence of an adult-onset macular dystrophy phenotype. We review the published literature and discuss the first case of heterozygous CRX R90 W macular dystrophy. Materials and Methods The patient received serial ophthalmic examination and imaging. Genetic testing was performed by MyRetinaTracker with the use of a retinal dystrophy panel. Results A 55-year-old Caucasian male patient without a prior medical history presented for evaluation of decreased vision in the right eye. Visual acuity was 20/32 both eyes, and his fundus examination was notable for an incomplete ring-shaped macular atrophy with foveolar sparing in both eyes. Fundus autofluorescence was notable for hypo-autofluorescence of the ring and fluorescein angiography for transmission hyperfluorescence. Full-field ERG and EOG were normal, while mfERG showed central depression. His lesion was clinically diagnosed as benign concentric annular macular dystrophy, but genetic testing revealed a heterozygous mutation in CRX (c.268 C > T, p.R90 W). A three-generation family tree did not reveal other members with known macular dystrophy. Given the lack of documentable autosomal dominant inheritance and the presence of a CRX mutation, the patient's diagnosis was revised to adult-onset macular dystrophy. Conclusions We believe this to be the first case of adult onset macular dystrophy associated with heterozygous CRX R90 W mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleb C Ng
- Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center , San Francisco, CA, USA.,West Coast Retina Medical Group , San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - William M Carrera
- Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center , San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Anita Agarwal
- Department of Ophthalmology, California Pacific Medical Center , San Francisco, CA, USA.,West Coast Retina Medical Group , San Francisco, CA, USA
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19
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Collin GB, Gogna N, Chang B, Damkham N, Pinkney J, Hyde LF, Stone L, Naggert JK, Nishina PM, Krebs MP. Mouse Models of Inherited Retinal Degeneration with Photoreceptor Cell Loss. Cells 2020; 9:cells9040931. [PMID: 32290105 PMCID: PMC7227028 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inherited retinal degeneration (RD) leads to the impairment or loss of vision in millions of individuals worldwide, most frequently due to the loss of photoreceptor (PR) cells. Animal models, particularly the laboratory mouse, have been used to understand the pathogenic mechanisms that underlie PR cell loss and to explore therapies that may prevent, delay, or reverse RD. Here, we reviewed entries in the Mouse Genome Informatics and PubMed databases to compile a comprehensive list of monogenic mouse models in which PR cell loss is demonstrated. The progression of PR cell loss with postnatal age was documented in mutant alleles of genes grouped by biological function. As anticipated, a wide range in the onset and rate of cell loss was observed among the reported models. The analysis underscored relationships between RD genes and ciliary function, transcription-coupled DNA damage repair, and cellular chloride homeostasis. Comparing the mouse gene list to human RD genes identified in the RetNet database revealed that mouse models are available for 40% of the known human diseases, suggesting opportunities for future research. This work may provide insight into the molecular players and pathways through which PR degenerative disease occurs and may be useful for planning translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayle B. Collin
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Navdeep Gogna
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Bo Chang
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Nattaya Damkham
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
- Siriraj Center of Excellence for Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Jai Pinkney
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Lillian F. Hyde
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Lisa Stone
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Jürgen K. Naggert
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
| | - Patsy M. Nishina
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
- Correspondence: (P.M.N.); (M.P.K.); Tel.: +1-207-2886-383 (P.M.N.); +1-207-2886-000 (M.P.K.)
| | - Mark P. Krebs
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, ME 04609, USA; (G.B.C.); (N.G.); (B.C.); (N.D.); (J.P.); (L.F.H.); (L.S.); (J.K.N.)
- Correspondence: (P.M.N.); (M.P.K.); Tel.: +1-207-2886-383 (P.M.N.); +1-207-2886-000 (M.P.K.)
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20
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Xie H, Zhang W, Zhang M, Akhtar T, Li Y, Yi W, Sun X, Zuo Z, Wei M, Fang X, Yao Z, Dong K, Zhong S, Liu Q, Shen Y, Wu Q, Wang X, Zhao H, Bao J, Qu K, Xue T. Chromatin accessibility analysis reveals regulatory dynamics of developing human retina and hiPSC-derived retinal organoids. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay5247. [PMID: 32083182 PMCID: PMC7007246 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay5247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Retinal organoids (ROs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide potential opportunities for studying human retinal development and disorders; however, to what extent ROs recapitulate the epigenetic features of human retinal development is unknown. In this study, we systematically profiled chromatin accessibility and transcriptional dynamics over long-term human retinal and RO development. Our results showed that ROs recapitulated the human retinogenesis to a great extent, but divergent chromatin features were also discovered. We further reconstructed the transcriptional regulatory network governing human and RO retinogenesis in vivo. Notably, NFIB and THRA were identified as regulators in human retinal development. The chromatin modifications between developing human and mouse retina were also cross-analyzed. Notably, we revealed an enriched bivalent modification of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in human but not in murine retinogenesis, suggesting a more dedicated epigenetic regulation on human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haohuan Xie
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Mei Zhang
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Tasneem Akhtar
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Young Li
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Wenyang Yi
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xiao Sun
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Zuqi Zuo
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Min Wei
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Xin Fang
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Ziqin Yao
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Kai Dong
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Suijuan Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yong Shen
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xiaoqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Huan Zhao
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Hefei University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Jin Bao
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Kun Qu
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Corresponding author. (T.X.); (K.Q.); (M.Z.)
| | - Tian Xue
- Eye Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Neurodegenerative Disorder Research Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
- Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
- Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Corresponding author. (T.X.); (K.Q.); (M.Z.)
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21
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Esquerdo-Barragán M, Brooks MJ, Toulis V, Swaroop A, Marfany G. Expression of deubiquitinating enzyme genes in the developing mammal retina. Mol Vis 2019; 25:800-813. [PMID: 31819342 PMCID: PMC6887694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Genes involved in the development and differentiation of the mammalian retina are also associated with inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) and age-related macular degeneration. Transcriptional regulation of retinal cell differentiation has been addressed by genetic and transcriptomic studies. Much less is known about the posttranslational regulation of key regulatory proteins, although mutations in some genes involved in ubiquitination and proteostasis-E3 ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs)-cause IRDs. This study intends to provide new data on DUB gene expression during different developmental stages of mouse and human fetal retinas. Methods We performed a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of all the annotated human and mouse DUBs (87) in the developing mouse retina at several embryonic and postnatal time points compared with the transcriptome of the fetal human retina. An integrated comparison of data from transcriptomics, reported chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) of CRX and NRL transcription factors, and the phenotypic retinal alterations in different animal models is presented. Results Several DUB genes are differentially expressed during the development of the mouse and human retinas in relation to proliferation or differentiation stages. Some DUB genes appear to be distinctly expressed during the differentiation stages of rod and cone photoreceptor cells, and their expression is altered in mouse knockout models of relevant photoreceptor transcription factors. We complemented this RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis with other reported expression and phenotypic data to underscore the involvement of DUBs in cell fate decision and photoreceptor differentiation. Conclusions The present results highlight a short list of potential DUB candidates for retinal disorders, which require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariona Esquerdo-Barragán
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Avda. Diagonal 643, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain,Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB-IRSJD), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matthew J. Brooks
- Neurobiology Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Vasileios Toulis
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Avda. Diagonal 643, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain,Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB-IRSJD), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,CIBERER, ISCIII, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Gemma Marfany
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Avda. Diagonal 643, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona 08028, Spain,Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB-IRSJD), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,CIBERER, ISCIII, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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22
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Qu Z, Yimer TA, Xie S, Wong F, Yu S, Liu X, Han S, Ma J, Lu Z, Hu X, Qin Y, Huang Y, Lv Y, Li J, Tang Z, Liu F, Liu M. Knocking out lca5 in zebrafish causes cone-rod dystrophy due to impaired outer segment protein trafficking. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2019; 1865:2694-2705. [PMID: 31348989 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the most serious form of inherited retinal dystrophy that leads to blindness or severe visual impairment within a few months after birth. Approximately 1-2% of the reported cases are caused by mutations in the LCA5 gene. This gene encodes a ciliary protein called LCA5 that is localized to the connecting cilium of photoreceptors. The retinal phenotypes caused by LCA5 mutations and the underlying pathological mechanisms are still not well understood. In this study, we knocked out the lca5 gene in zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. An early onset visual defect is detected by the ERG in 7 dpf lca5-/- zebrafish. Histological analysis by HE staining and immunofluorescence reveal progressive degeneration of rod and cone photoreceptors, with a pattern that cones are more severely affected than rods. In addition, ultrastructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy shows disordered and broken membrane discs in rods' and cones' outer segments, respectively. In our lca5-/- zebrafish, the red-cone opsin and cone α-transducin are selectively mislocalized to the inner segment and synaptic terminal. Moreover, we found that Ift88, a key component of the intraflagellar transport complex, is retained in the outer segments. These data suggest that the intraflagellar transport complex-mediated outer segment protein trafficking might be impaired due to lca5 deletion, which finally leads to a type of retinal degeneration mimicking the phenotype of cone-rod dystrophy in human. Our work provides a novel animal model to study the physiological function of LCA5 and develop potential treatments of LCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Qu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Tinsae Assefa Yimer
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Shanglun Xie
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Fulton Wong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Shanshan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Xiliang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Shanshan Han
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Juanjuan Ma
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Zhaojing Lu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Xuebin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yayun Qin
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yuwen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Yuexia Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Jingzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Zhaohui Tang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China
| | - Fei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China.
| | - Mugen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, PR China.
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23
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Assawachananont J, Kim SY, Kaya KD, Fariss R, Roger JE, Swaroop A. Cone-rod homeobox CRX controls presynaptic active zone formation in photoreceptors of mammalian retina. Hum Mol Genet 2019; 27:3555-3567. [PMID: 30084954 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddy272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian retina, rod and cone photoreceptors transmit the visual information to bipolar neurons through highly specialized ribbon synapses. We have limited understanding of regulatory pathways that guide morphogenesis and organization of photoreceptor presynaptic architecture in the developing retina. While neural retina leucine zipper (NRL) transcription factor determines rod cell fate and function, cone-rod homeobox (CRX) controls the expression of both rod- and cone-specific genes and is critical for terminal differentiation of photoreceptors. A comprehensive immunohistochemical evaluation of Crx-/- (null), CrxRip/+ and CrxRip/Rip (models of dominant congenital blindness) mouse retinas revealed abnormal photoreceptor synapses, with atypical ribbon shape, number and length. Integrated analysis of retinal transcriptomes of Crx-mutants with CRX- and NRL-ChIP-Seq data identified a subset of differentially expressed CRX target genes that encode presynaptic proteins associated with the cytomatrix active zone (CAZ) and synaptic vesicles. Immunohistochemistry of Crx-mutant retina validated aberrant expression of REEP6, PSD95, MPP4, UNC119, UNC13, RGS7 and RGS11, with some reduction in Ribeye and no significant change in immunostaining of RIMS1, RIMS2, Bassoon and Pikachurin. Our studies demonstrate that CRX controls the establishment of CAZ and anchoring of ribbons, but not the formation of ribbon itself, in photoreceptor presynaptic terminals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juthaporn Assawachananont
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Soo-Young Kim
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Koray D Kaya
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robert Fariss
- Imaging Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jerome E Roger
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Centre d'Etude et de Recherches Thérapeutiques en Ophthalmologie, Retina France, Orsay, France.,Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Univ Paris Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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24
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Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of the early developmental origins of six ocular tissues: the cornea, lens, ciliary body, iris, neural retina, and retina pigment epithelium. Many of these tissue types are concurrently specified and undergo a complex set of morphogenetic movements that facilitate their structural interconnection. Within the context of vertebrate eye organogenesis, we also discuss the genetic hierarchies of transcription factors and signaling pathways that regulate growth, patterning, cell type specification and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel B Miesfeld
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Nadean L Brown
- Department of Cell Biology & Human Anatomy, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CA, United States.
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25
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Xiong Y, Ji H, You Z, Yao F, Zhou R, Song W, Xia X. Otx2 enhances transdifferentiation of Müller cells-derived retinal stem cells into photoreceptor-like cells. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 23:943-953. [PMID: 30451368 PMCID: PMC6349218 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal Müller glial cells have the potential of neurogenic retinal progenitor cells, and could reprogram into retinal-specific cell types such as photoreceptor cells. How to promote the differentiation of Müller cells into photoreceptor cells represents a promising therapy strategy for retinal degeneration diseases. This study aimed to enhance the transdifferentiation of rat Müller cells-derived retinal stem cells (MC-RSCs) into photoreceptor-like cells and explore the signalling mechanism. We dedifferentiated rat Müller cells into MC-RSCs which were infected with Otx2 overexpression lentivirus or control. The positive rate of photoreceptor-like cells among MC-RSCs treated with Otx2 overexpression lentivirus was significantly higher compared to control. Furthermore, pre-treatment with Crx siRNA, Nrl siRNA, or GSK-3 inhibitor SB-216763 reduced the positive rate of photoreceptor-like cells among MC-RSCs treated with Otx2 overexpression lentivirus. Finally, Otx2 induced photoreceptor precursor cells were injected into subretinal space of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea induced rat model of retinal degeneration and partially recovered retinal degeneration in the rats. In conclusion, Otx2 enhances transdifferentiation of MC-RSCs into photoreceptor-like cells and this is associated with the inhibition of Wnt signalling. Otx2 is a potential target for gene therapy of retinal degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xiong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hongpei Ji
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhipeng You
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Fei Yao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Rongrong Zhou
- Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Weitao Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaobo Xia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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26
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Ruzycki PA, Zhang X, Chen S. CRX directs photoreceptor differentiation by accelerating chromatin remodeling at specific target sites. Epigenetics Chromatin 2018; 11:42. [PMID: 30068366 PMCID: PMC6069558 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-018-0212-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recent technological advances have delivered the genome-wide targets of many important transcription factors (TFs). However, increasing evidence suggests that not all target sites mediate regulatory function, raising the questions of how to determine which sites are active, what are the epigenetic consequences of TF binding at these sites, and how the specificity is coded. To address these questions, we focused on CRX, a disease-associated homeodomain TF required for photoreceptor gene expression and development. Since CRX binds more than 6000 sites across the genome in the retina, we profiled chromatin landscape changes at each binding site during normal development and in the absence of CRX and interpreted the results by thorough investigation of other epigenomic datasets and sequence features. Results CRX is required for chromatin remodeling at only a subset of its binding sites, which undergo retina or neuronal specific activation during photoreceptor differentiation. Genes near these “CRX Dependent” sites code for proteins important for photoreceptor physiology and function, and their transcription is significantly reduced in Crx deficient retinas. In addition, the nucleotide and motif content distinguish these CRX Dependent sites from other CRX-bound sites. Conclusions Together, our results suggest that CRX acts only at select, uniquely-coded binding sites to accelerate chromatin remodeling during photoreceptor differentiation. This study emphasizes the importance of connecting TF binding with its functional consequences and provides a framework for making such a connection using comparative analyses of available genomic datasets. Finally, this study prioritizes sets of non-coding DNA sites for future functional interrogation and identification of mutations associated with retinal disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-018-0212-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip A Ruzycki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shiming Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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27
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Ibrahim MT, Alarcon-Martinez T, Lopez I, Fajardo N, Chiang J, Koenekoop RK. A complete, homozygous CRX deletion causing nullizygosity is a new genetic mechanism for Leber congenital amaurosis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5034. [PMID: 29568065 PMCID: PMC5864841 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-22704-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
CRX is a transcription factor required for activating the expression of many photoreceptor-neuron genes. CRX may be mutated in three forms of human blindness; Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), cone-rod degeneration (CRD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The pathogenic mechanism in most cases is likely dominant negative, with gain of function. We report a novel, complete homozygous CRX deletion in LCA. We identified a Lebanese family with 3 affected LCA cases. The proband was sequenced by NGS. Quantitative PCR, array comparative genomic hybridization, and long range PCR were performed. Full eye examinations, OCT and photography were performed. We identified a homozygous 56,000 bp deletion of CRX, which co-segregates and is heterozygous in four parents, who report normal vision. The blind children with LCA manifest severe retinal degeneration, a phenotype typical for CRX and LCA. We hypothesized that a single copy of CRX (haplo-insufficiency) in the causes mild abnormal foveal development, but not LCA. Two parents had significant inner and outer foveal and photoreceptor abnormalities. This is the first reported case of a homozygous, complete CRX deletion. Nullizygosity of CRX thus causes LCA while haplo-insufficiency of CRX causes abnormal foveal development, but not LCA. Our data suggest a new disease mechanism for CRX.
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Affiliation(s)
- M T Ibrahim
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - T Alarcon-Martinez
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - I Lopez
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - N Fajardo
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - J Chiang
- Molecular Vision, Hillsboro, OR, USA
| | - R K Koenekoop
- Department of Paediatric Surgery, Human Genetics, Ophthalmology and McGill Ocular Genetics Laboratory, McGill University Health Center Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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28
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Budak G, Dash S, Srivastava R, Lachke SA, Janga SC. Express: A database of transcriptome profiles encompassing known and novel transcripts across multiple development stages in eye tissues. Exp Eye Res 2018; 168:57-68. [PMID: 29337142 DOI: 10.1016/j.exer.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Advances in sequencing have facilitated nucleotide-resolution genome-wide transcriptomic profiles across multiple mouse eye tissues. However, these RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) based eye developmental transcriptomes are not organized for easy public access, making any further analysis challenging. Here, we present a new database "Express" (http://www.iupui.edu/∼sysbio/express/) that unifies various mouse lens and retina RNA-seq data and provides user-friendly visualization of the transcriptome to facilitate gene discovery in the eye. We obtained RNA-seq data encompassing 7 developmental stages of lens in addition to that on isolated lens epithelial and fibers, as well as on 11 developmental stages of retina/isolated retinal rod photoreceptor cells from publicly available wild-type mouse datasets. These datasets were pre-processed, aligned, quantified and normalized for expression levels of known and novel transcripts using a unified expression quantification framework. Express provides heatmap and browser view allowing easy navigation of the genomic organization of transcripts or gene loci. Further, it allows users to search candidate genes and export both the visualizations and the embedded data to facilitate downstream analysis. We identified total of >81,000 transcripts in the lens and >178,000 transcripts in the retina across all the included developmental stages. This analysis revealed that a significant number of the retina-expressed transcripts are novel. Expression of several transcripts in the lens and retina across multiple developmental stages was independently validated by RT-qPCR for established genes such as Pax6 and Lhx2 as well as for new candidates such as Elavl4, Rbm5, Pabpc1, Tia1 and Tubb2b. Thus, Express serves as an effective portal for analyzing pruned RNA-seq expression datasets presently collected for the lens and retina. It will allow a wild-type context for the detailed analysis of targeted gene-knockout mouse ocular defect models and facilitate the prioritization of candidate genes from Exome-seq data of eye disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gungor Budak
- Department of BioHealth Informatics, School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University Purdue University, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Soma Dash
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Rajneesh Srivastava
- Department of BioHealth Informatics, School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University Purdue University, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Salil A Lachke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States; Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Sarath Chandra Janga
- Department of BioHealth Informatics, School of Informatics and Computing, Indiana University Purdue University, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States; Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 5021 Health Information and Translational Sciences (HITS), 410 West 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States; Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Library Building, 975 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States.
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Hoshino A, Ratnapriya R, Brooks MJ, Chaitankar V, Wilken MS, Zhang C, Starostik MR, Gieser L, La Torre A, Nishio M, Bates O, Walton A, Bermingham-McDonogh O, Glass IA, Wong ROL, Swaroop A, Reh TA. Molecular Anatomy of the Developing Human Retina. Dev Cell 2017; 43:763-779.e4. [PMID: 29233477 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.10.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Clinical and genetic heterogeneity associated with retinal diseases makes stem-cell-based therapies an attractive strategy for personalized medicine. However, we have limited understanding of the timing of key events in the developing human retina, and in particular the factors critical for generating the unique architecture of the fovea and surrounding macula. Here we define three key epochs in the transcriptome dynamics of human retina from fetal day (D) 52 to 136. Coincident histological analyses confirmed the cellular basis of transcriptional changes and highlighted the dramatic acceleration of development in the fovea compared with peripheral retina. Human and mouse retinal transcriptomes show remarkable similarity in developmental stages, although morphogenesis was greatly expanded in humans. Integration of DNA accessibility data allowed us to reconstruct transcriptional networks controlling photoreceptor differentiation. Our studies provide insights into human retinal development and serve as a resource for molecular staging of human stem-cell-derived retinal organoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akina Hoshino
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Rinki Ratnapriya
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew J Brooks
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Vijender Chaitankar
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew S Wilken
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Margaret R Starostik
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Linn Gieser
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mario Nishio
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Olivia Bates
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Ashley Walton
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | | | - Ian A Glass
- Department of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Rachel O L Wong
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Thomas A Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
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30
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Kim JW, Yang HJ, Brooks MJ, Zelinger L, Karakülah G, Gotoh N, Boleda A, Gieser L, Giuste F, Whitaker DT, Walton A, Villasmil R, Barb JJ, Munson PJ, Kaya KD, Chaitankar V, Cogliati T, Swaroop A. NRL-Regulated Transcriptome Dynamics of Developing Rod Photoreceptors. Cell Rep 2017; 17:2460-2473. [PMID: 27880916 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.10.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks (GRNs) guiding differentiation of cell types and cell assemblies in the nervous system are poorly understood because of inherent complexities and interdependence of signaling pathways. Here, we report transcriptome dynamics of differentiating rod photoreceptors in the mammalian retina. Given that the transcription factor NRL determines rod cell fate, we performed expression profiling of developing NRL-positive (rods) and NRL-negative (S-cone-like) mouse photoreceptors. We identified a large-scale, sharp transition in the transcriptome landscape between postnatal days 6 and 10 concordant with rod morphogenesis. Rod-specific temporal DNA methylation corroborated gene expression patterns. De novo assembly and alternative splicing analyses revealed previously unannotated rod-enriched transcripts and the role of NRL in transcript maturation. Furthermore, we defined the relationship of NRL with other transcriptional regulators and downstream cognate effectors. Our studies provide the framework for comprehensive system-level analysis of the GRN underlying the development of a single sensory neuron, the rod photoreceptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Woong Kim
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Jin Yang
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew John Brooks
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lina Zelinger
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gökhan Karakülah
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Norimoto Gotoh
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Center for Genomic Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Alexis Boleda
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Linn Gieser
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Felipe Giuste
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dustin Thad Whitaker
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Ashley Walton
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Rafael Villasmil
- Flow Cytometry Core, NEI, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jennifer Joanna Barb
- Mathematical and Statistical Computing Laboratory, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Peter Jonathan Munson
- Mathematical and Statistical Computing Laboratory, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Koray Dogan Kaya
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Vijender Chaitankar
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tiziana Cogliati
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Ruzycki PA, Linne CD, Hennig AK, Chen S. Crx-L253X Mutation Produces Dominant Photoreceptor Defects in TVRM65 Mice. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 58:4644-4653. [PMID: 28903150 PMCID: PMC5597032 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.17-22075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The cone-rod homeobox (CRX) transcription factor is essential for photoreceptor gene expression, differentiation, and survival. Human CRX mutations can cause dominant retinopathies of varying onset and phenotype severity. In animal models, dominant frameshift Crx mutations introduce a premature termination codon (PTC), producing inactive truncated proteins that interfere with normal CRX function. Previously, a mutant mouse, TVRM65, was reported to carry a recessive late PTC mutation, Crx-L253X. More detailed phenotype analysis of the pathogenicity of Crx-L253X sheds new light on the variability of CRX-linked diseases. Methods Homozygous (L253X/X); heterozygous (L253X/+); Crx−/− and control C57BL/6J (WT) mice were analyzed at various ages for changes in retinal function (ERG), morphology (histology) and photoreceptor gene expression (qRT-PCR). Results At 1 month, L253X/X mice lack visual function, show greater reductions in retinal thickness, and distinct gene expression changes relative to Crx−/−, suggesting that the phenotype of L253X/X is more severe than Crx−/−. L253X/+ mice have reduced rod/cone function, but normal retinal morphology at all ages tested. qRT-PCR assays described a complex phenotype in which both developing and mature photoreceptors are unable to maintain proper gene expression. L253X mRNA/protein is overexpressed relative to normal Crx, suggesting a pathogenic mechanism similar to early PTC mutations. However, the overexpression is less pronounced, correlating with a relatively mild dominant phenotype. Conclusions The L253X mouse provides a valuable model for CRX-associated retinopathy. The pathogenicity of CRX frameshift mutations depends on the position of the PTC, which in turn determines the degree of mutant mRNA/protein overproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip A Ruzycki
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Courtney D Linne
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Anne K Hennig
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| | - Shiming Chen
- Molecular Genetics and Genomics Graduate Program, Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States.,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States
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32
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Potter C, Zhu W, Razafsky D, Ruzycki P, Kolesnikov AV, Doggett T, Kefalov VJ, Betleja E, Mahjoub MR, Hodzic D. Multiple Isoforms of Nesprin1 Are Integral Components of Ciliary Rootlets. Curr Biol 2017. [PMID: 28625779 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
SYNE1 (synaptic nuclear envelope 1) encodes multiple isoforms of Nesprin1 (nuclear envelope spectrin 1) that associate with the nuclear envelope (NE) through a C-terminal KASH (Klarsicht/Anc1/Syne homology) domain (Figure 1A) [1-4]. This domain interacts directly with the SUN (Sad1/Unc84) domain of Sun proteins [5-7], a family of transmembrane proteins of the inner nuclear membrane (INM) [8, 9], to form the so-called LINC complexes (linkers of the nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton) that span the entire NE and mediate nuclear positioning [10-12]. In a stark departure from this classical depiction of Nesprin1 in the context of the NE, we report here that rootletin recruits Nesprin1α at the ciliary rootlets of photoreceptors and identify asymmetric NE aggregates of Nesprin1α and Sun2 that dock filaments of rootletin at the nuclear surface. In NIH 3T3 cells, we show that recombinant rootletin filaments also dock to the NE through the specific recruitment of an ∼600-kDa endogenous isoform of Nesprin1 (Nes1600kDa) and of Sun2. In agreement with the association of Nesprin1α with photoreceptor ciliary rootlets and the functional interaction between rootletin and Nesprin1 in fibroblasts, we demonstrate that multiple isoforms of Nesprin1 are integral components of ciliary rootlets of multiciliated ependymal and tracheal cells. Together, these data provide a novel functional paradigm for Nesprin1 at ciliary rootlets and suggest that the wide spectrum of human pathologies linked to truncating mutations of SYNE1 [13-15] may originate in part from ciliary defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Potter
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wanqiu Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - David Razafsky
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Philip Ruzycki
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Alexander V Kolesnikov
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Teresa Doggett
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Vladimir J Kefalov
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Ewelina Betleja
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Moe R Mahjoub
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Didier Hodzic
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Campla CK, Breit H, Dong L, Gumerson JD, Roger JE, Swaroop A. Pias3 is necessary for dorso-ventral patterning and visual response of retinal cones but is not required for rod photoreceptor differentiation. Biol Open 2017; 6:881-890. [PMID: 28495965 PMCID: PMC5483026 DOI: 10.1242/bio.024679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein inhibitor of activated Stat 3 (Pias3) is implicated in guiding specification of rod and cone photoreceptors through post-translational modification of key retinal transcription factors. To investigate its role during retinal development, we deleted exon 2-5 of the mouse Pias3 gene, which resulted in complete loss of the Pias3 protein. Pias3−/− mice did not show any overt phenotype, and retinal lamination appeared normal even at 18 months. We detected reduced photopic b-wave amplitude by electroretinography following green light stimulation of postnatal day (P)21 Pias3−/− retina, suggesting a compromised visual response of medium wavelength (M) cones. No change was evident in response of short wavelength (S) cones or rod photoreceptors until 7 months. Increased S-opsin expression in the M-cone dominant dorsal retina suggested altered distribution of cone photoreceptors. Transcriptome profiling of P21 and 18-month-old Pias3−/− retina revealed aberrant expression of a subset of photoreceptor genes. Our studies demonstrate functional redundancy in SUMOylation-associated transcriptional control mechanisms and identify a specific, though limited, role of Pias3 in modulating spatial patterning and optimal function of cone photoreceptor subtypes in the mouse retina. Summary: Loss of Pias3 in mice results in altered dorso-ventral patterning of retinal cone photoreceptors by modulating the expression of a subset of genes, but does not affect rod development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie K Campla
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.,Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Hannah Breit
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lijin Dong
- Genetic Engineering Core, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jessica D Gumerson
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jerome E Roger
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA .,Centre d'Etude et de Recherches Thérapeutiques en Ophtalmologie, Retina France, Orsay 91405, France.,Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay 91405, France
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Kaewkhaw R, Swaroop M, Homma K, Nakamura J, Brooks M, Kaya KD, Chaitankar V, Michael S, Tawa G, Zou J, Rao M, Zheng W, Cogliati T, Swaroop A. Treatment Paradigms for Retinal and Macular Diseases Using 3-D Retina Cultures Derived From Human Reporter Pluripotent Stem Cell Lines. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2017; 57:ORSFl1-ORSFl11. [PMID: 27116668 PMCID: PMC4855830 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-17639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We discuss the use of pluripotent stem cell lines carrying fluorescent reporters driven by retinal promoters to derive three-dimensional (3-D) retina in culture and how this system can be exploited for elucidating human retinal biology, creating disease models in a dish, and designing targeted drug screens for retinal and macular degeneration. Furthermore, we realize that stem cell investigations are labor-intensive and require extensive resources. To expedite scientific discovery by sharing of resources and to avoid duplication of efforts, we propose the formation of a Retinal Stem Cell Consortium. In the field of vision, such collaborative approaches have been enormously successful in elucidating genetic susceptibility associated with age-related macular degeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossukon Kaewkhaw
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States 2Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Manju Swaroop
- National Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States
| | - Kohei Homma
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Jutaro Nakamura
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Matthew Brooks
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Koray Dogan Kaya
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Vijender Chaitankar
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Sam Michael
- National Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States
| | - Gregory Tawa
- National Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States
| | - Jizhong Zou
- iPSC Core, Center for Molecular Medicine, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Mahendra Rao
- The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, New York, United States
| | - Wei Zheng
- National Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States
| | - Tiziana Cogliati
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States
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Liu H, Aramaki M, Fu Y, Forrest D. Retinoid-Related Orphan Receptor β and Transcriptional Control of Neuronal Differentiation. Curr Top Dev Biol 2016; 125:227-255. [PMID: 28527573 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The ability to generate neuronal diversity is central to the function of the nervous system. Here we discuss the key neurodevelopmental roles of retinoid-related orphan receptor β (RORβ) encoded by the Rorb (Nr1f2) gene. Recent studies have reported loss of function of the human RORB gene in cases of familial epilepsy and intellectual disability. Principal sites of expression of the Rorb gene in model species include sensory organs, the spinal cord, and brain regions that process sensory and circadian information. Genetic analyses in mice have indicated functions in circadian behavior, vision, and, at the cellular level, the differentiation of specific neuronal cell types. Studies in the retina and sensory areas of the cerebral cortex suggest that this orphan nuclear receptor acts at decisive steps in transcriptional hierarchies that determine neuronal diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Liu
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Michihiko Aramaki
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Yulong Fu
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Douglas Forrest
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Receptor Biology, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
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36
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Chen Y, Brooks MJ, Gieser L, Swaroop A, Palczewski K. Transcriptome profiling of NIH3T3 cell lines expressing opsin and the P23H opsin mutant identifies candidate drugs for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa. Pharmacol Res 2016; 115:1-13. [PMID: 27838510 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 10/18/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian cells are commonly employed in screening assays to identify active compounds that could potentially affect the progression of different human diseases including retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a class of inherited diseases causing retinal degeneration with compromised vision. Using transcriptome analysis, we compared NIH3T3 cells expressing wildtype (WT) rod opsin with a retinal disease-causing single P23H mutation. Surprisingly, heterologous expression of WT opsin in NIH3T3 cells caused more than a 2-fold change in 783 out of 16,888 protein coding transcripts. The perturbed genes encoded extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors, cytoskeleton proteins, glycoproteins and metalloproteases involved in cell adhesion, morphology and migration. A different set of 347 transcripts was either up- or down-regulated when the P23H mutant opsin was expressed suggesting an altered molecular perturbation compared to WT opsin. Transcriptome perturbations elicited by drug candidates aimed at mitigating the effects of the mutant protein revealed that different drugs targeted distinct molecular pathways that resulted in a similar phenotype selected by a cell-based high-throughput screen. Thus, transcriptome profiling can provide essential information about the therapeutic potential of a candidate drug to restore normal gene expression in pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States
| | - Matthew J Brooks
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Linn Gieser
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory (N-NRL), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Krzysztof Palczewski
- Department of Pharmacology, Cleveland Center for Membrane and Structural Biology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, United States.
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CLIP-GENE: a web service of the condition specific context-laid integrative analysis for gene prioritization in mouse TF knockout experiments. Biol Direct 2016; 11:57. [PMID: 27776539 PMCID: PMC5078909 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-016-0158-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Transcriptome data from the gene knockout experiment in mouse is widely used to investigate functions of genes and relationship to phenotypes. When a gene is knocked out, it is important to identify which genes are affected by the knockout gene. Existing methods, including differentially expressed gene (DEG) methods, can be used for the analysis. However, existing methods require cutoff values to select candidate genes, which can produce either too many false positives or false negatives. This hurdle can be addressed either by improving the accuracy of gene selection or by providing a method to rank candidate genes effectively, or both. Prioritization of candidate genes should consider the goals or context of the knockout experiment. As of now, there are no tools designed for both selecting and prioritizing genes from the mouse knockout data. Hence, the necessity of a new tool arises. RESULTS In this study, we present CLIP-GENE, a web service that selects gene markers by utilizing differentially expressed genes, mouse transcription factor (TF) network, and single nucleotide variant information. Then, protein-protein interaction network and literature information are utilized to find genes that are relevant to the phenotypic differences. One of the novel features is to allow researchers to specify their contexts or hypotheses in a set of keywords to rank genes according to the contexts that the user specify. We believe that CLIP-GENE will be useful in characterizing functions of TFs in mouse experiments. AVAILABILITY http://epigenomics.snu.ac.kr/CLIP-GENE REVIEWERS: This article was reviewed by Dr. Lee and Dr. Pongor.
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Murphy D, Cieply B, Carstens R, Ramamurthy V, Stoilov P. The Musashi 1 Controls the Splicing of Photoreceptor-Specific Exons in the Vertebrate Retina. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006256. [PMID: 27541351 PMCID: PMC4991804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative pre-mRNA splicing expands the coding capacity of eukaryotic genomes, potentially enabling a limited number of genes to govern the development of complex anatomical structures. Alternative splicing is particularly prevalent in the vertebrate nervous system, where it is required for neuronal development and function. Here, we show that photoreceptor cells, a type of sensory neuron, express a characteristic splicing program that affects a broad set of transcripts and is initiated prior to the development of the light sensing outer segments. Surprisingly, photoreceptors lack prototypical neuronal splicing factors and their splicing profile is driven to a significant degree by the Musashi 1 (MSI1) protein. A striking feature of the photoreceptor splicing program are exons that display a "switch-like" pattern of high inclusion levels in photoreceptors and near complete exclusion outside of the retina. Several ubiquitously expressed genes that are involved in the biogenesis and function of primary cilia produce highly photoreceptor specific isoforms through use of such "switch-like" exons. Our results suggest a potential role for alternative splicing in the development of photoreceptors and the conversion of their primary cilia to the light sensing outer segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Murphy
- Department of Biochemistry, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Cieply
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Russ Carstens
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Visvanathan Ramamurthy
- Departments of Biochemistry, Ophthalmology and Center for Neuroscience, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
| | - Peter Stoilov
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Institute, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Requirement for Microglia for the Maintenance of Synaptic Function and Integrity in the Mature Retina. J Neurosci 2016; 36:2827-42. [PMID: 26937019 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3575-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Microglia, the principal resident immune cell of the CNS, exert significant influence on neurons during development and in pathological situations. However, if and how microglia contribute to normal neuronal function in the mature uninjured CNS is not well understood. We used the model of the adult mouse retina, a part of the CNS amenable to structural and functional analysis, to investigate the constitutive role of microglia by depleting microglia from the retina in a sustained manner using genetic methods. We discovered that microglia are not acutely required for the maintenance of adult retinal architecture, the survival of retinal neurons, or the laminar organization of their dendritic and axonal compartments. However, sustained microglial depletion results in the degeneration of photoreceptor synapses in the outer plexiform layer, leading to a progressive functional deterioration in retinal light responses. Our results demonstrate that microglia are constitutively required for the maintenance of synaptic structure in the adult retina and for synaptic transmission underlying normal visual function. Our findings on constitutive microglial function are relevant in understanding microglial contributions to pathology and in the consideration of therapeutic interventions that reduce or perturb constitutive microglial function. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Microglia, the principal resident immune cell population in the CNS, has been implicated in diseases in the brain and retina. However, how they contribute to the everyday function of the CNS is unclear. Using the model of the adult mouse retina, we examined the constitutive role of microglia by depleting microglia from the retina. We found that in the absence of microglia, retinal neurons did not undergo overt cell death or become structurally disorganized in their processes. However, connections between neurons called synapses begin to break down, leading to a decreased ability of the retina to transmit light responses. Our results indicate that retinal microglia contribute constitutively to the maintenance of synapses underlying healthy vision.
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Yuen SM, Kwok HF. Temporal establishment of neural cell identity in vivo and in vitro. J Tissue Eng Regen Med 2016; 11:2582-2589. [PMID: 27061786 DOI: 10.1002/term.2158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding cell fate specification is particularly useful because it enables biologists to generate specific neural cell types for treating currently untreatable neurological diseases. Traditionally, lineage-specific progenitors are generated in vitro from pluripotent cells, after which they may be channeled into more mature cell types in a stage-specific manner, which is similar to the way cells behave during development. However, the emergence of induced pluripotent stem cells means that specific cell types can be generated directly from fibroblasts or other somatic cell types, thus bypassing all of the necessary steps that happen in vivo. Based on this information, the present review first explores the regulatory circuitry that drives cell fate specification over time in vivo. In particular, it describes how the appearance of specific neuronal and glial cell types is governed by an intrinsic biological clock, followed by a discussion of how this can be achieved through the temporal expression of intracellular regulators in relation to cell-specific Dnase I hypersensitivity sites, promoters and enhancers. Cell fate acquisition in vitro was then examined in an attempt to evaluate whether the temporal regulation neural cell fate in vivo is still relevant to the generation of reprogrammed neural stem cells and neurons. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Ming Yuen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, SAR, China
| | - Hang Fai Kwok
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, SAR, China
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Botta S, Marrocco E, de Prisco N, Curion F, Renda M, Sofia M, Lupo M, Carissimo A, Bacci ML, Gesualdo C, Rossi S, Simonelli F, Surace EM. Rhodopsin targeted transcriptional silencing by DNA-binding. eLife 2016; 5:e12242. [PMID: 26974343 PMCID: PMC4805542 DOI: 10.7554/elife.12242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factors (TFs) operate by the combined activity of their DNA-binding domains (DBDs) and effector domains (EDs) enabling the coordination of gene expression on a genomic scale. Here we show that in vivo delivery of an engineered DNA-binding protein uncoupled from the repressor domain can produce efficient and gene-specific transcriptional silencing. To interfere with RHODOPSIN (RHO) gain-of-function mutations we engineered the ZF6-DNA-binding protein (ZF6-DB) that targets 20 base pairs (bp) of a RHOcis-regulatory element (CRE) and demonstrate Rho specific transcriptional silencing upon adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated expression in photoreceptors. The data show that the 20 bp-long genomic DNA sequence is necessary for RHO expression and that photoreceptor delivery of the corresponding cognate synthetic trans-acting factor ZF6-DB without the intrinsic transcriptional repression properties of the canonical ED blocks Rho expression with negligible genome-wide transcript perturbations. The data support DNA-binding-mediated silencing as a novel mode to treat gain-of-function mutations. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12242.001 Proteins called transcription factors bind to sections of DNA known as regulatory elements to activate or deactivate nearby genes. In animals, transcription factors typically have two sections: a “DNA-binding domain” that attaches to DNA, and an “effector domain” that is responsible for interacting with other proteins to regulate the gene’s expression. Rhodopsin is a gene that encodes the instructions needed to make a light-sensitive protein in the eyes of humans and other animals. Botta et al. have now used this gene as an example to investigate whether proteins that contain a DNA-binding domain – but not an effector domain – can repress gene expression. The experiments show that only a small section of the regulatory elements in the human Rhodopsin gene is actually required for the gene to be expressed. Botta et al. designed an artificial protein – referred to as ZF6-DB – that is able to bind to this section of DNA. The binding of ZF6-DB to this short DNA section was sufficient to switch off a Rhodopsin gene in living pig cells, and, unlike conventional transcription factors, seemed to have minimal impact other genes. Next, Botta et al. used a virus to insert both the gene that encodes ZF6-DB and a normal copy of Rhodopsin into pigs. In these animals, ZF6-DB switched off the existing copy of Rhodopsin, but not the inserted copy so the cells produced a working form of the light-sensitive protein. Further experiments were carried out in mice that have both a faulty version and a normal copy of the Rhodopsin gene. ZF6-DB switched off the faulty Rhodopsin gene, which allowed the normal Rhodopsin gene to work without any interference from the faulty copy. Mutations in Rhodopsin can cause an eye disease that leads to severe loss of vision in humans. These new findings could now guide future efforts to develop treatments for people with this condition. It will also be important to investigate how ZF6-DB binds to the regulatory elements in the Rhodopsin gene and whether a similar strategy could be used to alter the expression of other genes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12242.002
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elena Marrocco
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Fabiola Curion
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Napoli, Italy
| | - Mario Renda
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Napoli, Italy
| | - Martina Sofia
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Napoli, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Laura Bacci
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carlo Gesualdo
- Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Eye Clinic, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Settimio Rossi
- Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Eye Clinic, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Simonelli
- Multidisciplinary Department of Medical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Eye Clinic, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Enrico Maria Surace
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Napoli, Italy.,Department of Translational Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Abstract
Photoreceptors--the light-sensitive cells in the vertebrate retina--have been extremely well-characterized with regards to their biochemistry, cell biology and physiology. They therefore provide an excellent model for exploring the factors and mechanisms that drive neural progenitors into a differentiated cell fate in the nervous system. As a result, great progress in understanding the transcriptional network that controls photoreceptor specification and differentiation has been made over the last 20 years. This progress has also enabled the production of photoreceptors from pluripotent stem cells, thereby aiding the development of regenerative medical approaches to eye disease. In this Review, we outline the signaling and transcription factors that drive vertebrate photoreceptor development and discuss how these function together in gene regulatory networks to control photoreceptor cell fate specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Brzezinski
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Thomas A Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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Veleri S, Lazar CH, Chang B, Sieving PA, Banin E, Swaroop A. Biology and therapy of inherited retinal degenerative disease: insights from mouse models. Dis Model Mech 2015; 8:109-29. [PMID: 25650393 PMCID: PMC4314777 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.017913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinal neurodegeneration associated with the dysfunction or death of photoreceptors is a major cause of incurable vision loss. Tremendous progress has been made over the last two decades in discovering genes and genetic defects that lead to retinal diseases. The primary focus has now shifted to uncovering disease mechanisms and designing treatment strategies, especially inspired by the successful application of gene therapy in some forms of congenital blindness in humans. Both spontaneous and laboratory-generated mouse mutants have been valuable for providing fundamental insights into normal retinal development and for deciphering disease pathology. Here, we provide a review of mouse models of human retinal degeneration, with a primary focus on diseases affecting photoreceptor function. We also describe models associated with retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction or synaptic abnormalities. Furthermore, we highlight the crucial role of mouse models in elucidating retinal and photoreceptor biology in health and disease, and in the assessment of novel therapeutic modalities, including gene- and stem-cell-based therapies, for retinal degenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobi Veleri
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Csilla H Lazar
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Molecular Biology Center, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano Sciences, Babes-Bolyai-University, Cluj-Napoca, 400271, Romania
| | - Bo Chang
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Paul A Sieving
- National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Eyal Banin
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. Center for Retinal and Macular Degenerations, Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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The pros and cons of vertebrate animal models for functional and therapeutic research on inherited retinal dystrophies. Prog Retin Eye Res 2015; 48:137-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 04/12/2015] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Graded gene expression changes determine phenotype severity in mouse models of CRX-associated retinopathies. Genome Biol 2015; 16:171. [PMID: 26324254 PMCID: PMC4556057 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0732-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Mutations in the cone-rod-homeobox protein CRX are typically associated with dominant blinding retinopathies with variable age of onset and severity. Five well-characterized mouse models carrying different Crx mutations show a wide range of disease phenotypes. To determine if the phenotype variability correlates with distinct changes in CRX target gene expression, we perform RNA-seq analyses on three of these models and compare the results with published data. Results Despite dramatic phenotypic differences between the three models tested, graded expression changes in shared sets of genes are detected. Phenotype severity correlates with the down-regulation of genes encoding key rod and cone phototransduction proteins. Interestingly, in increasingly severe mouse models, the transcription of many rod-enriched genes decreases decrementally, whereas that of cone-enriched genes increases incrementally. Unlike down-regulated genes, which show a high degree of CRX binding and dynamic epigenetic profiles in normal retinas, the up-regulated cone-enriched genes do not correlate with direct activity of CRX, but instead likely reflect a change in rod cell-fate integrity. Furthermore, these analyses describe the impact of minor gene expression changes on the phenotype, as two mutants showed marginally distinguishable expression patterns but huge phenotypic differences, including distinct mechanisms of retinal degeneration. Conclusions Our results implicate a threshold effect of gene expression level on photoreceptor function and survival, highlight the importance of CRX in photoreceptor subtype development and maintenance, and provide a molecular basis for phenotype variability in CRX-associated retinopathies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0732-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Kaewkhaw R, Kaya KD, Brooks M, Homma K, Zou J, Chaitankar V, Rao M, Swaroop A. Transcriptome Dynamics of Developing Photoreceptors in Three-Dimensional Retina Cultures Recapitulates Temporal Sequence of Human Cone and Rod Differentiation Revealing Cell Surface Markers and Gene Networks. Stem Cells 2015; 33:3504-18. [PMID: 26235913 PMCID: PMC4713319 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The derivation of three‐dimensional (3D) stratified neural retina from pluripotent stem cells has permitted investigations of human photoreceptors. We have generated a H9 human embryonic stem cell subclone that carries a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter under the control of the promoter of cone‐rod homeobox (CRX), an established marker of postmitotic photoreceptor precursors. The CRXp‐GFP reporter replicates endogenous CRX expression in vitro when the H9 subclone is induced to form self‐organizing 3D retina‐like tissue. At day 37, CRX+ photoreceptors appear in the basal or middle part of neural retina and migrate to apical side by day 67. Temporal and spatial patterns of retinal cell type markers recapitulate the predicted sequence of development. Cone gene expression is concomitant with CRX, whereas rod differentiation factor neural retina leucine zipper protein (NRL) is first observed at day 67. At day 90, robust expression of NRL and its target nuclear receptor NR2E3 is evident in many CRX+ cells, while minimal S‐opsin and no rhodopsin or L/M‐opsin is present. The transcriptome profile, by RNA‐seq, of developing human photoreceptors is remarkably concordant with mRNA and immunohistochemistry data available for human fetal retina although many targets of CRX, including phototransduction genes, exhibit a significant delay in expression. We report on temporal changes in gene signatures, including expression of cell surface markers and transcription factors; these expression changes should assist in isolation of photoreceptors at distinct stages of differentiation and in delineating coexpression networks. Our studies establish the first global expression database of developing human photoreceptors, providing a reference map for functional studies in retinal cultures. Stem Cells2015;33:3504–3518
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossukon Kaewkhaw
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Research Center, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Koray Dogan Kaya
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew Brooks
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kohei Homma
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,Department of Physiology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jizhong Zou
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,iPSC Core, Center for Molecular Medicine, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Vijender Chaitankar
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mahendra Rao
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.,The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute, New York, NY 10023
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration & Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Yang HJ, Ratnapriya R, Cogliati T, Kim JW, Swaroop A. Vision from next generation sequencing: multi-dimensional genome-wide analysis for producing gene regulatory networks underlying retinal development, aging and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 2015; 46:1-30. [PMID: 25668385 PMCID: PMC4402139 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2015.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2014] [Revised: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Genomics and genetics have invaded all aspects of biology and medicine, opening uncharted territory for scientific exploration. The definition of "gene" itself has become ambiguous, and the central dogma is continuously being revised and expanded. Computational biology and computational medicine are no longer intellectual domains of the chosen few. Next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, together with novel methods of pattern recognition and network analyses, has revolutionized the way we think about fundamental biological mechanisms and cellular pathways. In this review, we discuss NGS-based genome-wide approaches that can provide deeper insights into retinal development, aging and disease pathogenesis. We first focus on gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that govern the differentiation of retinal photoreceptors and modulate adaptive response during aging. Then, we discuss NGS technology in the context of retinal disease and develop a vision for therapies based on network biology. We should emphasize that basic strategies for network construction and analyses can be transported to any tissue or cell type. We believe that specific and uniform guidelines are required for generation of genome, transcriptome and epigenome data to facilitate comparative analysis and integration of multi-dimensional data sets, and for constructing networks underlying complex biological processes. As cellular homeostasis and organismal survival are dependent on gene-gene and gene-environment interactions, we believe that network-based biology will provide the foundation for deciphering disease mechanisms and discovering novel drug targets for retinal neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Jin Yang
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-0610, USA
| | - Rinki Ratnapriya
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-0610, USA
| | - Tiziana Cogliati
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-0610, USA
| | - Jung-Woong Kim
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-0610, USA
| | - Anand Swaroop
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, 6 Center Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-0610, USA.
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Wilken MS, Brzezinski JA, La Torre A, Siebenthall K, Thurman R, Sabo P, Sandstrom RS, Vierstra J, Canfield TK, Hansen RS, Bender MA, Stamatoyannopoulos J, Reh TA. DNase I hypersensitivity analysis of the mouse brain and retina identifies region-specific regulatory elements. Epigenetics Chromatin 2015; 8:8. [PMID: 25972927 PMCID: PMC4429822 DOI: 10.1186/1756-8935-8-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The brain, spinal cord, and neural retina comprise the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms that underlie the enormous cell-type diversity of the CNS is a significant challenge. Whole-genome mapping of DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) has been used to identify cis-regulatory elements in many tissues. We have applied this approach to the mouse CNS, including developing and mature neural retina, whole brain, and two well-characterized brain regions, the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. RESULTS For the various regions and developmental stages of the CNS that we analyzed, there were approximately the same number of DHSs; however, there were many DHSs unique to each CNS region and developmental stage. Many of the DHSs are likely to mark enhancers that are specific to the specific CNS region and developmental stage. We validated the DNase I mapping approach for identification of CNS enhancers using the existing VISTA Browser database and with in vivo and in vitro electroporation of the retina. Analysis of transcription factor consensus sites within the DHSs shows distinct region-specific profiles of transcriptional regulators particular to each region. Clustering developmentally dynamic DHSs in the retina revealed enrichment of developmental stage-specific transcriptional regulators. Additionally, we found reporter gene activity in the retina driven from several previously uncharacterized regulatory elements surrounding the neurodevelopmental gene Otx2. Identification of DHSs shared between mouse and human showed region-specific differences in the evolution of cis-regulatory elements. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our results demonstrate the potential of genome-wide DNase I mapping to cis-regulatory questions regarding the regional diversity within the CNS. These data represent an extensive catalogue of potential cis-regulatory elements within the CNS that display region and temporal specificity, as well as a set of DHSs common to CNS tissues. Further examination of evolutionary conservation of DHSs between CNS regions and different species may reveal important cis-regulatory elements in the evolution of the mammalian CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Wilken
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 357420, Seattle, WA 98195 USA ; Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Washington, MCB Program Office, T-466 Health Sciences Building, Box 357275, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Joseph A Brzezinski
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 357420, Seattle, WA 98195 USA ; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 1675 Aurora Court, Aurora, CO 80045 USA
| | - Anna La Torre
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 357420, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Kyle Siebenthall
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Robert Thurman
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Peter Sabo
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Richard S Sandstrom
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Jeff Vierstra
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Theresa K Canfield
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - R Scott Hansen
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Michael A Bender
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific St, Health Sciences Building, Seattle, WA Box 356320, 98195 USA ; Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109 USA
| | - John Stamatoyannopoulos
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Foege Building S-250, 3720 15th Ave NE, Box 355065, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Thomas A Reh
- Department of Biological Structure, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 357420, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
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Karali M, Banfi S. Inherited Retinal Dystrophies: the role of gene expression regulators. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2015; 61:115-9. [PMID: 25697419 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2015.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Revised: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Inherited Retinal Dystrophies (IRDs) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of rare disorders characterized by a significant impairment in retinal function and vision. More than 150 genes have been associated with retinal dystrophies and the genetic overlap among different IRDs renders diagnosis and prognosis challenging. In this In Focus article, we give a summary on the pathogenic role of gene expression regulators in IRDs. Emphasis is given on key transcription factors that participate to regulatory gene networks controlling photoreceptor specification and maintenance, and their possible relevance as therapeutic targets. The increasing knowledge on the composition and function of these transcriptional regulatory networks indicates that intervening on transcription factors may be instrumental for a more effective treatment of some forms of IRDs, although the development of appropriate molecular tools to target them remains a formidable challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianthi Karali
- Telethon Institute for Genetics and Medicine, via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy
| | - Sandro Banfi
- Telethon Institute for Genetics and Medicine, via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078 Pozzuoli, NA, Italy; Medical Genetics, Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and General Pathology, Second University of Naples, via Luigi De Crecchio 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
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Sergouniotis PI, Urquhart JE, Williams SG, Bhaskar SS, Black GC, Lovell SC, Whitby DJ, Newman WG, Clayton-Smith J. Agnathia-otocephaly complex and asymmetric velopharyngeal insufficiency due to an in-frame duplication in OTX2. J Hum Genet 2015; 60:199-202. [PMID: 25589041 DOI: 10.1038/jhg.2014.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Agnathia-otocephaly complex is a malformation characterized by absent/hypoplastic mandible and abnormally positioned ears. Mutations in two genes, PRRX1 and OTX2, have been described in a small number of families with this disorder. We performed clinical and genetic testing in an additional family. The proband is a healthy female with a complicated pregnancy history that includes two offspring diagnosed with agnathia-otocephaly during prenatal ultrasound scans. Exome sequencing was performed in fetal DNA from one of these two offspring revealing a heterozygous duplication in OTX2: c.271_273dupCAG, p.(Gln91dup). This change leads to the insertion of a glutamine within the OTX2 homeodomain region, and is predicted to alter this signaling molecule's ability to interact with DNA. The same variant was also identified in the proband's clinically unaffected 38-year-old husband and their 9-year-old daughter, who presented with a small mandible, normal ears and velopharyngeal insufficiency due to a short hemi-palate. This unusual presentation of OTX2-related disease suggests that OTX2 might have a role in palatal hypoplasia cases. A previously unreported OTX2 variant associated with extreme intrafamilial variability is described and the utility of exome sequencing as a tool to confirm the diagnosis of agnathia-otocephaly and to inform the reproductive decisions of affected families is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis I Sergouniotis
- 1] Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK [2] Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Jill E Urquhart
- 1] Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK [2] Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon G Williams
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Sanjeev S Bhaskar
- Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Graeme C Black
- 1] Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK [2] Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon C Lovell
- Department of Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - David J Whitby
- North West, Isle of Man and North Wales Cleft Lip and Palate Network, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - William G Newman
- 1] Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK [2] Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Jill Clayton-Smith
- 1] Institute of Human Development, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK [2] Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
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