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Shinsato RN, Correa CG, Herai RH. Genetic network analysis indicate that individuals affected by neurodevelopmental conditions have genetic variations associated with ophthalmologic alterations: A critical review of literature. Gene 2024; 908:148246. [PMID: 38325665 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Changes in the nervous system are related to a wide range of mental disorders, which include neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) that are characterized by early onset mental conditions, such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders and correlated conditions (ASD). Previous studies have shown distinct genetic components associated with diverse schizophrenia and ASD phenotypes, with mostly focused on rescuing neural phenotypes and brain activity, but alterations related to vision are overlooked. Thus, as the vision is composed by the eyes that itself represents a part of the brain, with the retina being formed by neurons and cells originating from the glia, genetic variations affecting the brain can also affect the vision. Here, we performed a critical systematic literature review to screen for all genetic variations in individuals presenting NDD with reported alterations in vision. Using these restricting criteria, we found 20 genes with distinct types of genetic variations, inherited or de novo, that includes SNP, SNV, deletion, insertion, duplication or indel. The variations occurring within protein coding regions have different impact on protein formation, such as missense, nonsense or frameshift. Moreover, a molecular analysis of the 20 genes found revealed that 17 shared a common protein-protein or genetic interaction network. Moreover, gene expression analysis in samples from the brain and other tissues indicates that 18 of the genes found are highly expressed in the brain and retina, indicating their potential role in adult vision phenotype. Finally, we only found 3 genes from our study described in standard public databanks of ophthalmogenetics, suggesting that the other 17 genes could be novel target for vision diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rogério N Shinsato
- Unisalesiano, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics (LaBiN/LEM), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Paraná, 80215-901, Brazil.
| | - Camila Graczyk Correa
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics (LaBiN/LEM), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Paraná, 80215-901, Brazil
| | - Roberto H Herai
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics (LaBiN/LEM), Graduate Program in Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Paraná, 80215-901, Brazil; Research Division, Buko Kaesemodel Institute (IBK), Curitiba, Paraná 80240-000, Brazil; Research Division, 9p Brazil Association (A9pB), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97060-580, Brazil.
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Chowdhury G, Umeda K, Ohyanagi T, Nasu K, Yamasu K. Involvement of nr2f genes in brain regionalization and eye development during early zebrafish development. Dev Growth Differ 2024; 66:145-160. [PMID: 38263801 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12912] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F (Nr2f) proteins are essential for brain development in mice, but little is known about their precise roles and their evolutionary diversification. In the present study, the expression patterns of major nr2f genes (nr2f1a, nr2f1b, and nr2f2) during early brain development were investigated in zebrafish. Comparisons of their expression patterns revealed similar but temporally and spatially distinct patterns after early somite stages in the brain. Frameshift mutations in the three nr2f genes, achieved using the CRISPR/Cas9 method, resulted in a smaller telencephalon and smaller eyes in the nr2f1a mutants; milder forms of those defects were present in the nr2f1b and nr2f2 mutants. Acridine orange staining revealed enhanced cell death in the brain and/or eyes in all nr2f homozygous mutants. The expression of regional markers in the brain did not suggest global defects in brain regionalization; however, shha expression in the preoptic area and hypothalamus, as well as fgf8a expression in the anterior telencephalon, was disturbed in nr2f1a and nr2f1b mutants, potentially leading to a defective telencephalon. Specification of the retina and optic stalk was also significantly affected. The overexpression of nr2f1b by injection of mRNA disrupted the anterior brain at a high dose, and the expression of pax6a in the eyes and fgf8a in the telencephalon at a low dose. The results of these loss- and gain-of-function approaches showed that nr2f genes regulate the development of the telencephalon and eyes in zebrafish embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gazlima Chowdhury
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Aquatic Environment and Resource Management, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Koto Umeda
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takero Ohyanagi
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kouhei Nasu
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kyo Yamasu
- Division of Life Science, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University, Saitama, Japan
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Oh Y, Quiroz E, Wang T, Medina-Laver Y, Redecke SM, Dominguez F, Lydon JP, DeMayo FJ, Wu SP. The NR2F2-HAND2 signaling axis regulates progesterone actions in the uterus at early pregnancy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1229033. [PMID: 37664846 PMCID: PMC10473531 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1229033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial function is dependent on a tight crosstalk between the epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium. This communication is critical to ensure a fertile uterus and relies on progesterone and estrogen signaling to prepare a receptive uterus for embryo implantation in early pregnancy. One of the key mediators of this crosstalk is the orphan nuclear receptor NR2F2, which regulates uterine epithelial receptivity and stromal cell differentiation. In order to determine the molecular mechanism regulated by NR2F2, RNAseq analysis was conducted on the uterus of PgrCre;Nr2f2f/f mice at Day 3.5 of pregnancy. This transcriptomic analysis demonstrated Nr2f2 ablation in Pgr-expressing cells leads to a reduction of Hand2 expression, increased levels of Hand2 downstream effectors Fgf1 and Fgf18, and a transcriptome manifesting suppressed progesterone signaling with an altered immune baseline. ChIPseq analysis conducted on the Day 3.5 pregnant mouse uterus for NR2F2 demonstrated the majority of NR2F2 occupies genomic regions that have H3K27ac and H3K4me1 histone modifications, including the loci of major uterine transcription regulators Hand2, Egr1, and Zbtb16. Furthermore, functional analysis of an NR2F2 occupying site that is conserved between human and mouse was capable to enhance endogenous HAND2 mRNA expression with the CRISPR activator in human endometrial stroma cells. These data establish the NR2F2 dependent regulation of Hand2 in the stroma and identify a cis-acting element for this action. In summary, our findings reveal a role of the NR2F2-HAND2 regulatory axis that determines the uterine transcriptomic pattern in preparation for the endometrial receptivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeongseok Oh
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
- Department of Life Science and Research Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Elvis Quiroz
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Tianyuan Wang
- Biostatistics & Computational Biology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Yassmin Medina-Laver
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - Skylar Montague Redecke
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Francisco Dominguez
- IVIRMA Global Research Alliance, IVI Foundation, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe (IIS La Fe), Valencia, Spain
| | - John P. Lydon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Francesco J. DeMayo
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - San-Pin Wu
- Reproductive and Development Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
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Katsura M, Urade Y, Nansai H, Kobayashi M, Taguchi A, Ishikawa Y, Ito T, Fukunaga H, Tozawa H, Chikaoka Y, Nakaki R, Echigo A, Kohro T, Sone H, Wada Y. Low-dose radiation induces unstable gene expression in developing human iPSC-derived retinal ganglion organoids. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12888. [PMID: 37558727 PMCID: PMC10412642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40051-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of low-dose radiation on undifferentiated cells carry important implications. However, the effects on developing retinal cells remain unclear. Here, we analyzed the gene expression characteristics of neuronal organoids containing immature human retinal cells under low-dose radiation and predicted their changes. Developing retinal cells generated from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were irradiated with either 30 or 180 mGy on days 4-5 of development for 24 h. Genome-wide gene expression was observed until day 35. A knowledge-based pathway analysis algorithm revealed fluctuations in Rho signaling and many other pathways. After a month, the levels of an essential transcription factor of eye development, the proportion of paired box 6 (PAX6)-positive cells, and the proportion of retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-specific transcription factor POU class 4 homeobox 2 (POU4F2)-positive cells increased with 30 mGy of irradiation. In contrast, they decreased after 180 mGy of irradiation. Activation of the "development of neurons" pathway after 180 mGy indicated the dedifferentiation and development of other neural cells. Fluctuating effects after low-dose radiation exposure suggest that developing retinal cells employ hormesis and dedifferentiation mechanisms in response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Katsura
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Reiwa Eye Clinic, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Urade
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroko Nansai
- Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mika Kobayashi
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akashi Taguchi
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Ishikawa
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Ito
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hisako Fukunaga
- Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideto Tozawa
- Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Chikaoka
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Takahide Kohro
- Department of Clinical Informatics, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Hideko Sone
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
- Environmental Health and Prevention Research Unit, Yokohama University of Pharmacy, Yokohama, Japan.
| | - Youichiro Wada
- Isotope Science Center, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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Moore ST, Nakamura T, Nie J, Solivais AJ, Aristizábal-Ramírez I, Ueda Y, Manikandan M, Reddy VS, Romano DR, Hoffman JR, Perrin BJ, Nelson RF, Frolenkov GI, Chuva de Sousa Lopes SM, Hashino E. Generating high-fidelity cochlear organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. Cell Stem Cell 2023; 30:950-961.e7. [PMID: 37419105 PMCID: PMC10695300 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2023.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Mechanosensitive hair cells in the cochlea are responsible for hearing but are vulnerable to damage by genetic mutations and environmental insults. The paucity of human cochlear tissues makes it difficult to study cochlear hair cells. Organoids offer a compelling platform to study scarce tissues in vitro; however, derivation of cochlear cell types has proven non-trivial. Here, using 3D cultures of human pluripotent stem cells, we sought to replicate key differentiation cues of cochlear specification. We found that timed modulations of Sonic Hedgehog and WNT signaling promote ventral gene expression in otic progenitors. Ventralized otic progenitors subsequently give rise to elaborately patterned epithelia containing hair cells with morphology, marker expression, and functional properties consistent with both outer and inner hair cells in the cochlea. These results suggest that early morphogenic cues are sufficient to drive cochlear induction and establish an unprecedented system to model the human auditory organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen T Moore
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Takashi Nakamura
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Jing Nie
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Alexander J Solivais
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | | | - Yoshitomo Ueda
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Mayakannan Manikandan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - V Shweta Reddy
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Daniel R Romano
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - John R Hoffman
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Benjamin J Perrin
- Department of Biology, Purdue School of Science, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Rick F Nelson
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | | | | | - Eri Hashino
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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6
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Paşcalău R, Badea TC. Signaling - transcription interactions in mouse retinal ganglion cells early axon pathfinding -a literature review. FRONTIERS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY 2023; 3:1180142. [PMID: 38983012 PMCID: PMC11182120 DOI: 10.3389/fopht.2023.1180142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Sending an axon out of the eye and into the target brain nuclei is the defining feature of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). The literature on RGC axon pathfinding is vast, but it focuses mostly on decision making events such as midline crossing at the optic chiasm or retinotopic mapping at the target nuclei. In comparison, the exit of RGC axons out of the eye is much less explored. The first checkpoint on the RGC axons' path is the optic cup - optic stalk junction (OC-OS). OC-OS development and the exit of the RGC pioneer axons out of the eye are coordinated spatially and temporally. By the time the optic nerve head domain is specified, the optic fissure margins are in contact and the fusion process is ongoing, the first RGCs are born in its proximity and send pioneer axons in the optic stalk. RGC differentiation continues in centrifugal waves. Later born RGC axons fasciculate with the more mature axons. Growth cones at the end of the axons respond to guidance cues to adopt a centripetal direction, maintain nerve fiber layer restriction and to leave the optic cup. Although there is extensive information on OC-OS development, we still have important unanswered questions regarding its contribution to the exit of the RGC axons out of the eye. We are still to distinguish the morphogens of the OC-OS from the axon guidance molecules which are expressed in the same place at the same time. The early RGC transcription programs responsible for axon emergence and pathfinding are also unknown. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms for early RGC axon guidance by contextualizing mouse knock-out studies on OC-OS development with the recent transcriptomic studies on developing RGCs in an attempt to contribute to the understanding of human optic nerve developmental anomalies. The published data summarized here suggests that the developing optic nerve head provides a physical channel (the closing optic fissure) as well as molecular guidance cues for the pioneer RGC axons to exit the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca Paşcalău
- Research and Development Institute, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
- Ophthalmology Clinic, Cluj County Emergency Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Tudor Constantin Badea
- Research and Development Institute, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
- National Center for Brain Research, Institutul de Cercetări pentru Inteligență Artificială, Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
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Choudhary M, Malek G. Potential therapeutic targets for age-related macular degeneration: The nuclear option. Prog Retin Eye Res 2023; 94:101130. [PMID: 36220751 PMCID: PMC10082136 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2022.101130] [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: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The functions and activities of nuclear receptors, the largest family of transcription factors in the human genome, have classically focused on their ability to act as steroid and hormone sensors in endocrine organs. However, they are responsible for a diverse array of physiological functions, including cellular homeostasis and metabolism, during development and aging. Though the eye is not a traditional endocrine organ, recent studies have revealed high expression levels of nuclear receptors in cells throughout the posterior pole. These findings have precipitated an interest in investigating the role of these transcription factors in the eye as a function of age and ocular disease, in particular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As the leading cause of vision impairment in the elderly, identifying signaling pathways that may be targeted for AMD therapy is of great importance, given the lack of therapeutic options for over 85% of patients with this disease. Herein we review this relatively new field and recent findings supporting the hypothesis that the eye is a secondary endocrine organ, in which nuclear receptors serve as the bedrock for biological processes in cells vulnerable in AMD, including retinal pigment epithelial and choroidal endothelial cells, and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting these receptors for AMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayur Choudhary
- Duke Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Goldis Malek
- Duke Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
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Desai NK, Kralik SF, Edmond JC, Shah V, Huisman TAGM, Rech M, Schaaf CP. Common Neuroimaging Findings in Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2023; 44:212-217. [PMID: 36702506 PMCID: PMC9891320 DOI: 10.3174/ajnr.a7758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome secondary to mutations in NR2F1 (COUP-TF1), characterized by visual impairment secondary to optic nerve hypoplasia and/or atrophy, developmental and cognitive delay, and seizures. This study reports common neuroimaging findings in a cohort of 21 individuals with BBSOAS that collectively suggest the diagnosis. These include mesial temporal dysgyria, perisylvian dysgyria, posterior predominant white matter volume loss, callosal abnormalities, lacrimal gland abnormalities, and optic nerve volume loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- N K Desai
- From the Department of Radiology (N.K.D., S.F.K., T.A.G.M.H.), Texas Children's Hospital Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas
| | - S F Kralik
- From the Department of Radiology (N.K.D., S.F.K., T.A.G.M.H.), Texas Children's Hospital Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas
| | - J C Edmond
- Department of Ophthalmology (J.C.E.), Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - V Shah
- Department of Ophthalmology (V.S.), Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - T A G M Huisman
- From the Department of Radiology (N.K.D., S.F.K., T.A.G.M.H.), Texas Children's Hospital Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas
| | - M Rech
- Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston (M.R.), Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - C P Schaaf
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University (C.P.S.), Heidelberg, Germany
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9
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Cardozo MJ, Sánchez-Bustamante E, Bovolenta P. Optic cup morphogenesis across species and related inborn human eye defects. Development 2023; 150:286775. [PMID: 36714981 PMCID: PMC10110496 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrate eye is shaped as a cup, a conformation that optimizes vision and is acquired early in development through a process known as optic cup morphogenesis. Imaging living, transparent teleost embryos and mammalian stem cell-derived organoids has provided insights into the rearrangements that eye progenitors undergo to adopt such a shape. Molecular and pharmacological interference with these rearrangements has further identified the underlying molecular machineries and the physical forces involved in this morphogenetic process. In this Review, we summarize the resulting scenarios and proposed models that include common and species-specific events. We further discuss how these studies and those in environmentally adapted blind species may shed light on human inborn eye malformations that result from failures in optic cup morphogenesis, including microphthalmia, anophthalmia and coloboma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos J Cardozo
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Elena Sánchez-Bustamante
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Paola Bovolenta
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), c/ Nicolás Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain
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10
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Mungale A, McGaughey DM, Zhang C, Yousaf S, Liu J, Brooks BP, Maminishkis A, Fufa TD, Hufnagel RB. Transcriptional mapping of the macaque retina and RPE-choroid reveals conserved inter-tissue transcription drivers and signaling pathways. Front Genet 2022; 13:949449. [PMID: 36506320 PMCID: PMC9732541 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.949449] [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: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The macula and fovea comprise a highly sensitive visual detection tissue that is susceptible to common disease processes like age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Our understanding of the molecular determinants of high acuity vision remains unclear, as few model organisms possess a human-like fovea. We explore transcription factor networks and receptor-ligand interactions to elucidate tissue interactions in the macula and peripheral retina and concomitant changes in the underlying retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroid. Poly-A selected, 100 bp paired-end RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed across the macular/foveal, perimacular, and temporal peripheral regions of the neural retina and RPE/choroid tissues of four adult Rhesus macaque eyes to characterize region- and tissue-specific gene expression. RNA-seq reads were mapped to both the macaque and human genomes for maximum alignment and analyzed for differential expression and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment. Comparison of the neural retina and RPE/choroid tissues indicated distinct, contiguously changing gene expression profiles from fovea through perimacula to periphery. Top GO enrichment of differentially expressed genes in the RPE/choroid included cell junction organization and epithelial cell development. Expression of transcriptional regulators and various disease-associated genes show distinct location-specific preference and retina-RPE/choroid tissue-tissue interactions. Regional gene expression changes in the macaque retina and RPE/choroid is greater than that found in previously published transcriptome analysis of the human retina and RPE/choroid. Further, conservation of human macula-specific transcription factor profiles and gene expression in macaque tissues suggest a conservation of programs required for retina and RPE/choroid function and disease susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ameera Mungale
- Medical Genetics and Ophthalmic Genomics Unit, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David M. McGaughey
- Bioinformatics Group, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Congxiao Zhang
- Section on Epithelial and Retinal Physiology and Disease, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Sairah Yousaf
- Medical Genetics and Ophthalmic Genomics Unit, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - James Liu
- Medical Genetics and Ophthalmic Genomics Unit, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Brian P. Brooks
- Pediatric, Developmental and Genetic Ophthalmology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Arvydas Maminishkis
- Section on Epithelial and Retinal Physiology and Disease, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Temesgen D. Fufa
- Medical Genetics and Ophthalmic Genomics Unit, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Robert B. Hufnagel
- Medical Genetics and Ophthalmic Genomics Unit, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States,*Correspondence: Robert B. Hufnagel,
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11
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Fuhrmann S, Ramirez S, Mina Abouda M, Campbell CD. Porcn is essential for growth and invagination of the mammalian optic cup. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1016182. [PMID: 36393832 PMCID: PMC9661423 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1016182] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC) are congenital ocular malformations causing 25% of childhood blindness. The X-linked disorder Focal Dermal Hypoplasia (FDH) is frequently associated with MAC and results from mutations in Porcn, a membrane bound O-acyl transferase required for palmitoylation of Wnts to activate multiple Wnt-dependent pathways. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is suppressed in the anterior neural plate for initiation of eye formation and is subsequently required during differentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Non-canonical Wnts are critical for early eye formation in frog and zebrafish. However, it is unclear whether this also applies to mammals. We performed ubiquitous conditional inactivation of Porcn in mouse around the eye field stage. In Porcn CKO , optic vesicles (OV) arrest in growth and fail to form an optic cup. Ventral proliferation is significantly decreased in the mutant OV, with a concomitant increase in apoptotic cell death. While pan-ocular transcription factors such as PAX6, SIX3, LHX2, and PAX2 are present, indicative of maintenance of OV identity, regional expression of VSX2, MITF, OTX2, and NR2F2 is downregulated. Failure of RPE differentiation in Porcn CKO is consistent with downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin effector LEF1, starting around 2.5 days after inactivation. This suggests that Porcn inactivation affects signaling later than a potential requirement for Wnts to promote eye field formation. Altogether, our data shows a novel requirement for Porcn in regulating growth and morphogenesis of the OV, likely by controlling proliferation and survival. In FDH patients with ocular manifestations, growth deficiency during early ocular morphogenesis may be the underlying cause for microphthalmia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Fuhrmann
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Sara Ramirez
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical School, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Mirna Mina Abouda
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Clorissa D. Campbell
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt Eye Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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12
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COUP-TFII in Kidneys, from Embryos to Sick Adults. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12051181. [PMID: 35626336 PMCID: PMC9139597 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12051181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor II (COUP-TFII) is an orphan nuclear hormone receptor of unknown ligands. This molecule has two interesting features: (1) it is a developmental gene, and (2) it is a potential hormone receptor. Here, we describe the possible roles of COUP-TFII in the organogenesis of the kidneys and protection from adult renal diseases, primarily in mouse models. COUP-TFII is highly expressed in embryos, including primordial kidneys, and is essential for the formation of metanephric mesenchyme and the survival of renal precursor cells. Although the expression levels of COUP-TFII are low and its functions are unknown in healthy adults, it serves as a reno-protectant molecule against acute kidney injury. These are good examples of how developmental genes exhibit novel functions in the etiology of adult diseases. We also discuss the ongoing research on the roles of COUP-TFII in podocyte development and diabetic kidney disease. In addition, the identification of potential ligands suggests that COUP-TFII might be a novel therapeutic target for renal diseases in the future.
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13
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Tangeman JA, Pérez-Estrada JR, Van Zeeland E, Liu L, Danciutiu A, Grajales-Esquivel E, Smucker B, Liang C, Del Rio-Tsonis K. A Stage-Specific OTX2 Regulatory Network and Maturation-Associated Gene Programs Are Inherent Barriers to RPE Neural Competency. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:875155. [PMID: 35517508 PMCID: PMC9062105 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.875155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) exhibits a diverse range of plasticity across vertebrates and is a potential source of cells for the regeneration of retinal neurons. Embryonic amniotes possess a transitory ability to regenerate neural retina through the reprogramming of RPE cells in an FGF-dependent manner. Chicken RPE can regenerate neural retina at embryonic day 4 (E4), but RPE neural competence is lost by embryonic day 5 (E5). To identify mechanisms that underlie loss of regenerative competence, we performed RNA and ATAC sequencing using E4 and E5 chicken RPE, as well as at both stages following retinectomy and FGF2 treatment. We find that genes associated with neural retina fate remain FGF2-inducible in the non-regenerative E5 RPE. Coinciding with fate restriction, RPE cells stably exit the cell cycle and dampen the expression of cell cycle progression genes normally expressed during regeneration, including E2F1. E5 RPE exhibits progressive activation of gene pathways associated with mature function independently of retinectomy or FGF2 treatment, including retinal metabolism, pigmentation synthesis, and ion transport. Moreover, the E5 RPE fails to efficiently repress OTX2 expression in response to FGF2. Predicted OTX2 binding motifs undergo robust accessibility increases in E5 RPE, many of which coincide with putative regulatory elements for genes known to facilitate RPE differentiation and maturation. Together, these results uncover widespread alterations in gene regulation that culminate in the loss of RPE neural competence and implicate OTX2 as a key determinant in solidifying the RPE fate. These results yield valuable insight to the basis of RPE lineage restriction during early development and will be of importance in understanding the varying capacities for RPE-derived retinal regeneration observed among vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared A. Tangeman
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - J. Raúl Pérez-Estrada
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Emily Van Zeeland
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Lin Liu
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Alexandra Danciutiu
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Erika Grajales-Esquivel
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Byran Smucker
- Department of Statistics, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Chun Liang
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
| | - Katia Del Rio-Tsonis
- Department of Biology and Center for Visual Sciences, Miami University, Oxford, OH, United States
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14
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Pathophysiological Heterogeneity of the BBSOA Neurodevelopmental Syndrome. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081260. [PMID: 35455940 PMCID: PMC9024734 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The formation and maturation of the human brain is regulated by highly coordinated developmental events, such as neural cell proliferation, migration and differentiation. Any impairment of these interconnected multi-factorial processes can affect brain structure and function and lead to distinctive neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we review the pathophysiology of the Bosch–Boonstra–Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS; OMIM 615722; ORPHA 401777), a recently described monogenic neurodevelopmental syndrome caused by the haploinsufficiency of NR2F1 gene, a key transcriptional regulator of brain development. Although intellectual disability, developmental delay and visual impairment are arguably the most common symptoms affecting BBSOAS patients, multiple additional features are often reported, including epilepsy, autistic traits and hypotonia. The presence of specific symptoms and their variable level of severity might depend on still poorly characterized genotype–phenotype correlations. We begin with an overview of the several mutations of NR2F1 identified to date, then further focuses on the main pathological features of BBSOAS patients, providing evidence—whenever possible—for the existing genotype–phenotype correlations. On the clinical side, we lay out an up-to-date list of clinical examinations and therapeutic interventions recommended for children with BBSOAS. On the experimental side, we describe state-of-the-art in vivo and in vitro studies aiming at deciphering the role of mouse Nr2f1, in physiological conditions and in pathological contexts, underlying the BBSOAS features. Furthermore, by modeling distinct NR2F1 genetic alterations in terms of dimer formation and nuclear receptor binding efficiencies, we attempt to estimate the total amounts of functional NR2F1 acting in developing brain cells in normal and pathological conditions. Finally, using the NR2F1 gene and BBSOAS as a paradigm of monogenic rare neurodevelopmental disorder, we aim to set the path for future explorations of causative links between impaired brain development and the appearance of symptoms in human neurological syndromes.
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15
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Tocco C, Bertacchi M, Studer M. Structural and Functional Aspects of the Neurodevelopmental Gene NR2F1: From Animal Models to Human Pathology. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:767965. [PMID: 34975398 PMCID: PMC8715095 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.767965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The assembly and maturation of the mammalian brain result from an intricate cascade of highly coordinated developmental events, such as cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. Any impairment of this delicate multi-factorial process can lead to complex neurodevelopmental diseases, sharing common pathogenic mechanisms and molecular pathways resulting in multiple clinical signs. A recently described monogenic neurodevelopmental syndrome named Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS) is caused by NR2F1 haploinsufficiency. The NR2F1 gene, coding for a transcriptional regulator belonging to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily, is known to play key roles in several brain developmental processes, from proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors to migration and identity acquisition of neocortical neurons. In a clinical context, the disruption of these cellular processes could underlie the pathogenesis of several symptoms affecting BBSOAS patients, such as intellectual disability, visual impairment, epilepsy, and autistic traits. In this review, we will introduce NR2F1 protein structure, molecular functioning, and expression profile in the developing mouse brain. Then, we will focus on Nr2f1 several functions during cortical development, from neocortical area and cell-type specification to maturation of network activity, hippocampal development governing learning behaviors, assembly of the visual system, and finally establishment of cortico-spinal descending tracts regulating motor execution. Whenever possible, we will link experimental findings in animal or cellular models to corresponding features of the human pathology. Finally, we will highlight some of the unresolved questions on the diverse functions played by Nr2f1 during brain development, in order to propose future research directions. All in all, we believe that understanding BBSOAS mechanisms will contribute to further unveiling pathophysiological mechanisms shared by several neurodevelopmental disorders and eventually lead to effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tocco
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
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16
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Wang T, Wang Z, de Fabritus L, Tao J, Saied EM, Lee HJ, Ramazanov BR, Jackson B, Burkhardt D, Parker M, Gleinich AS, Wang Z, Seo DE, Zhou T, Xu S, Alecu I, Azadi P, Arenz C, Hornemann T, Krishnaswamy S, van de Pavert SA, Kaech SM, Ivanova NB, Santori FR. 1-deoxysphingolipids bind to COUP-TF to modulate lymphatic and cardiac cell development. Dev Cell 2021; 56:3128-3145.e15. [PMID: 34762852 PMCID: PMC8628544 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Identification of physiological modulators of nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) activity is paramount for understanding the link between metabolism and transcriptional networks that orchestrate development and cellular physiology. Using libraries of metabolic enzymes alongside their substrates and products, we identify 1-deoxysphingosines as modulators of the activity of NR2F1 and 2 (COUP-TFs), which are orphan NHRs that are critical for development of the nervous system, heart, veins, and lymphatic vessels. We show that these non-canonical alanine-based sphingolipids bind to the NR2F1/2 ligand-binding domains (LBDs) and modulate their transcriptional activity in cell-based assays at physiological concentrations. Furthermore, inhibition of sphingolipid biosynthesis phenocopies NR2F1/2 deficiency in endothelium and cardiomyocytes, and increases in 1-deoxysphingosine levels activate NR2F1/2-dependent differentiation programs. Our findings suggest that 1-deoxysphingosines are physiological regulators of NR2F1/2-mediated transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Wang
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, China; Department of Reproductive Medicine, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong 266000, China
| | - Lauriane de Fabritus
- Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML), 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Jinglian Tao
- Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China; Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Essa M Saied
- Institut für Chemie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 12489, Germany; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Ho-Joon Lee
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Center for Genome Analysis, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Bulat R Ramazanov
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Benjamin Jackson
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Daniel Burkhardt
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Mikhail Parker
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Anne S Gleinich
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Zhirui Wang
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Dong Eun Seo
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Shihao Xu
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Irina Alecu
- Neural Regeneration Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Christoph Arenz
- Institut für Chemie, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 12489, Germany
| | - Thorsten Hornemann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University and University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich 8091, Switzerland
| | | | - Serge A van de Pavert
- Aix-Marseille Universite, CNRS, INSERM, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy (CIML), 13288 Marseille Cedex 9, France
| | - Susan M Kaech
- NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Natalia B Ivanova
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | - Fabio R Santori
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
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17
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Gazdagh G, Mawby R, Self JE, Baralle D. A severe case of Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome with a novel description of coloboma and septo-optic dysplasia, owing to a start codon variant in the NR2F1 gene. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 188:900-906. [PMID: 34787370 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by a range of phenotypes including optic atrophy and intellectual disability among other features. Pathogenic variants in the NR2F1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 1) gene have been linked to this condition. A recent report has shown that pathogenic variants in the start codon lead to decreased expression of the NR2F1 protein and a relatively mild phenotype, similar to that seen in whole gene deletions, and due to the lack of the dominant negative effect. Here we describe a severe case of BBSOAS with an initiation codon missense variant. The developmental delay, seizures, optic atrophy are in keeping with features observed in this condition, however this is the first report to describe colobomas and septo-optic dysplasia as associated features potentially extending the phenotype linked to BBSOAS. In addition, this is the first description of a severe phenotype linked to a de novo missense variant in the start codon of the NR2F1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Gazdagh
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Rebecca Mawby
- Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Jay E Self
- Clinical and Experimental Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.,Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK
| | - Diana Baralle
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK.,Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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- Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
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18
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Wu X, Li H, Huang J, Xu M, Xiao C, He S. Regulation of Axon Initial Segment Diameter by COUP-TFI Fine-tunes Action Potential Generation. Neurosci Bull 2021; 38:505-518. [PMID: 34773220 PMCID: PMC9106767 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00792-8] [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] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is a specialized structure that controls neuronal excitability via action potential (AP) generation. Currently, AIS plasticity with regard to changes in length and location in response to neural activity has been extensively investigated, but how AIS diameter is regulated remains elusive. Here we report that COUP-TFI (chicken ovalbumin upstream promotor-transcription factor 1) is an essential regulator of AIS diameter in both developing and adult mouse neocortex. Either embryonic or adult ablation of COUP-TFI results in reduced AIS diameter and impaired AP generation. Although COUP-TFI ablations in sparse single neurons and in populations of neurons have similar impacts on AIS diameter and AP generation, they strengthen and weaken, respectively, the receiving spontaneous network in mutant neurons. In contrast, overexpression of COUP-TFI in sparse single neurons increases the AIS diameter and facilitates AP generation, but decreases the receiving spontaneous network. Our findings demonstrate that COUP-TFI is indispensable for both the expansion and maintenance of AIS diameter and that AIS diameter fine-tunes action potential generation and synaptic inputs in mammalian cortical neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanyuan Wu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haixiang Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jiechang Huang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mengqi Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Cheng Xiao
- School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Shuijin He
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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19
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Walter J, Bolognin S, Poovathingal SK, Magni S, Gérard D, Antony PMA, Nickels SL, Salamanca L, Berger E, Smits LM, Grzyb K, Perfeito R, Hoel F, Qing X, Ohnmacht J, Bertacchi M, Jarazo J, Ignac T, Monzel AS, Gonzalez-Cano L, Krüger R, Sauter T, Studer M, de Almeida LP, Tronstad KJ, Sinkkonen L, Skupin A, Schwamborn JC. The Parkinson's-disease-associated mutation LRRK2-G2019S alters dopaminergic differentiation dynamics via NR2F1. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109864. [PMID: 34686322 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that neurodevelopmental alterations might contribute to increase the susceptibility to develop neurodegenerative diseases. We investigate the occurrence of developmental abnormalities in dopaminergic neurons in a model of Parkinson's disease (PD). We monitor the differentiation of human patient-specific neuroepithelial stem cells (NESCs) into dopaminergic neurons. Using high-throughput image analyses and single-cell RNA sequencing, we observe that the PD-associated LRRK2-G2019S mutation alters the initial phase of neuronal differentiation by accelerating cell-cycle exit with a concomitant increase in cell death. We identify the NESC-specific core regulatory circuit and a molecular mechanism underlying the observed phenotypes. The expression of NR2F1, a key transcription factor involved in neurogenesis, decreases in LRRK2-G2019S NESCs, neurons, and midbrain organoids compared to controls. We also observe accelerated dopaminergic differentiation in vivo in NR2F1-deficient mouse embryos. This suggests a pathogenic mechanism involving the LRRK2-G2019S mutation, where the dynamics of dopaminergic differentiation are modified via NR2F1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Walter
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Silvia Bolognin
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Suresh K Poovathingal
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Stefano Magni
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Deborah Gérard
- Department of Life Science and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Paul M A Antony
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Sarah L Nickels
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Department of Life Science and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Luis Salamanca
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Emanuel Berger
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Lisa M Smits
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Kamil Grzyb
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Rita Perfeito
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, Coimbra 3004-504, Portugal
| | - Fredrik Hoel
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies Vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Xiaobing Qing
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Jochen Ohnmacht
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Department of Life Science and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | | | - Javier Jarazo
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Tomasz Ignac
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Anna S Monzel
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Laura Gonzalez-Cano
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Rejko Krüger
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Transversal Translational Medicine, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Strassen, Luxembourg; Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
| | - Thomas Sauter
- Department of Life Science and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Michèle Studer
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Luis Pereira de Almeida
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, Coimbra 3004-504, Portugal; Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3000-548, Portugal
| | - Karl J Tronstad
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Bergen, Jonas Lies Vei 91, 5009 Bergen, Norway
| | - Lasse Sinkkonen
- Department of Life Science and Medicine (DLSM), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Alexander Skupin
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg; Center for Research of Biological Systems, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jens C Schwamborn
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB), University of Luxembourg, 4362 Belvaux, Luxembourg.
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20
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Arsov T, Kelecic J, Frkovic SH, Sestan M, Kifer N, Andrews D, Adamski M, Jelusic M, Cook MC. Expanding the clinical spectrum of pathogenic variation in NR2F2: Asplenia. Eur J Med Genet 2021; 64:104347. [PMID: 34619368 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2021.104347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We present a case with congenital syndromic asplenia associated with immune deficiency, glandular hypospadias and cryptorchidism. Genetic analysis identified a likely pathogenic de novo variant in NR2F2. Pathogenic NR2F2 variants have been associated with other congenital anomalies affecting the central axis, such as congenital heart disease and diaphragmatic hernia, which were not part of our patient's clinical features. The association between NR2F2 and asplenia (including glandular hypospadias and cryptorchidism) has been described in animal models and our report is the first expanding the NR2F2 clinical spectrum in humans to include asplenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todor Arsov
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Institute of Immunobiology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, University in Skopje, Skopje, Macedonia.
| | - Jadranka Kelecic
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Sanda Huljev Frkovic
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Mario Sestan
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nastasia Kifer
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Dan Andrews
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Marcin Adamski
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Marija Jelusic
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Matthew C Cook
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; Department of Immunology, The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia
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21
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Yu X, Xu J. A 'Goldmine' for digging cancer-specific targets: the genes essential for embryo development but non-essential for adult life. J Mol Cell Biol 2021; 12:669-673. [PMID: 32470104 PMCID: PMC7749735 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjaa024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobin Yu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jianming Xu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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22
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Jurkute N, Bertacchi M, Arno G, Tocco C, Kim US, Kruszewski AM, Avery RA, Bedoukian EC, Han J, Ahn SJ, Pontikos N, Acheson J, Davagnanam I, Bowman R, Kaliakatsos M, Gardham A, Wakeling E, Oluonye N, Reddy MA, Clark E, Rosser E, Amati-Bonneau P, Charif M, Lenaers G, Meunier I, Defoort S, Vincent-Delorme C, Robson AG, Holder GE, Jeanjean L, Martinez-Monseny A, Vidal-Santacana M, Dominici C, Gaggioli C, Giordano N, Caleo M, Liu GT, Webster AR, Studer M, Yu-Wai-Man P. Pathogenic NR2F1 variants cause a developmental ocular phenotype recapitulated in a mutant mouse model. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab162. [PMID: 34466801 PMCID: PMC8397830 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic NR2F1 variants cause a rare autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder referred to as the Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome. Although visual loss is a prominent feature seen in affected individuals, the molecular and cellular mechanisms contributing to visual impairment are still poorly characterized. We conducted a deep phenotyping study on a cohort of 22 individuals carrying pathogenic NR2F1 variants to document the neurodevelopmental and ophthalmological manifestations, in particular the structural and functional changes within the retina and the optic nerve, which have not been detailed previously. The visual impairment became apparent in early childhood with small and/or tilted hypoplastic optic nerves observed in 10 cases. High-resolution optical coherence tomography imaging confirmed significant loss of retinal ganglion cells with thinning of the ganglion cell layer, consistent with electrophysiological evidence of retinal ganglion cells dysfunction. Interestingly, for those individuals with available longitudinal ophthalmological data, there was no significant deterioration in visual function during the period of follow-up. Diffusion tensor imaging tractography studies showed defective connections and disorganization of the extracortical visual pathways. To further investigate how pathogenic NR2F1 variants impact on retinal and optic nerve development, we took advantage of an Nr2f1 mutant mouse disease model. Abnormal retinogenesis in early stages of development was observed in Nr2f1 mutant mice with decreased retinal ganglion cell density and disruption of retinal ganglion cell axonal guidance from the neural retina into the optic stalk, accounting for the development of optic nerve hypoplasia. The mutant mice showed significantly reduced visual acuity based on electrophysiological parameters with marked conduction delay and decreased amplitude of the recordings in the superficial layers of the visual cortex. The clinical observations in our study cohort, supported by the mouse data, suggest an early neurodevelopmental origin for the retinal and optic nerve head defects caused by NR2F1 pathogenic variants, resulting in congenital vision loss that seems to be non-progressive. We propose NR2F1 as a major gene that orchestrates early retinal and optic nerve head development, playing a key role in the maturation of the visual system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neringa Jurkute
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Gavin Arno
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chiara Tocco
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France
| | - Ungsoo Samuel Kim
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Kim's Eye Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Adam M Kruszewski
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert A Avery
- Division of Ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emma C Bedoukian
- Roberts Individualized Medical Genetics Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jinu Han
- Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sung Jun Ahn
- Department of Radiology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nikolas Pontikos
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - James Acheson
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, University College London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Indran Davagnanam
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Richard Bowman
- Department of Ophthalmology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Marios Kaliakatsos
- Paediatric Neurology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Alice Gardham
- North West Thames Regional Genetics Service, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, UK
| | - Emma Wakeling
- North East Thames Regional Genetics Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ngozi Oluonye
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Wolfson Neurodisability Service, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Maddy Ashwin Reddy
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Elaine Clark
- Department of Neuroscience, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Elisabeth Rosser
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Patrizia Amati-Bonneau
- MitoLab Team, UMR CNRS 6015 - INSERM U1083, Institut MitoVasc, Angers University and Hospital, Angers, France
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University Hospital Angers, Angers, France
- Genetics and Immuno-cell Therapy Team, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco
| | - Majida Charif
- MitoLab Team, UMR CNRS 6015 - INSERM U1083, Institut MitoVasc, Angers University and Hospital, Angers, France
- National Center for Rare Diseases, Inherited Sensory Disorders, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Guy Lenaers
- MitoLab Team, UMR CNRS 6015 - INSERM U1083, Institut MitoVasc, Angers University and Hospital, Angers, France
| | - Isabelle Meunier
- Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier, INSERM INSERM U1051, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Sabine Defoort
- Service d'exploration de la vision et neuro-ophtalmologie, CHRU de Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Anthony G Robson
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Graham E Holder
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Luc Jeanjean
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Nimes, Nimes, France
| | | | | | - Chloé Dominici
- University Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice, France
| | - Cedric Gaggioli
- University Côte d'Azur, CNRS UMR7284, INSERM U1081, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice, France
| | | | | | - Grant T Liu
- Division of Ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Andrew R Webster
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Patrick Yu-Wai-Man
- Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
- Cambridge Eye Unit, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair and MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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23
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Holdhof D, Schoof M, Al-Kershi S, Spohn M, Kresbach C, Göbel C, Hellwig M, Indenbirken D, Moreno N, Kerl K, Schüller U. Brahma-related gene 1 has time-specific roles during brain and eye development. Development 2021; 148:268382. [PMID: 34042968 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During development, gene expression is tightly controlled to facilitate the generation of the diverse cell types that form the central nervous system. Brahma-related gene 1 (Brg1, also known as Smarca4) is the catalytic subunit of the SWItch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex that regulates transcription. We investigated the role of Brg1 between embryonic day 6.5 (E6.5) and E14.5 in Sox2-positive neural stem cells (NSCs). Being without major consequences at E6.5 and E14.5, loss of Brg1 between E7.5 and E12.5 resulted in the formation of rosette-like structures in the subventricular zone, as well as morphological alterations and enlargement of neural retina (NR). Additionally, Brg1-deficient cells showed decreased survival in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we uncovered distinct changes in gene expression upon Brg1 loss, pointing towards impaired neuron functions, especially those involving synaptic communication and altered composition of the extracellular matrix. Comparison with mice deficient for integrase interactor 1 (Ini1, also known as Smarcb1) revealed that the enlarged NR was Brg1 specific and was not caused by a general dysfunction of the SWI/SNF complex. These results suggest a crucial role for Brg1 in NSCs during brain and eye development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Schoof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sina Al-Kershi
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.,Bioinformatics Facility, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Catena Kresbach
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carolin Göbel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Hellwig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Natalia Moreno
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Kornelius Kerl
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children's Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, 20251 Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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24
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Maresca A, Carelli V. Molecular Mechanisms behind Inherited Neurodegeneration of the Optic Nerve. Biomolecules 2021; 11:496. [PMID: 33806088 PMCID: PMC8064499 DOI: 10.3390/biom11040496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherited neurodegeneration of the optic nerve is a paradigm in neurology, as many forms of isolated or syndromic optic atrophy are encountered in clinical practice. The retinal ganglion cells originate the axons that form the optic nerve. They are particularly vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction, as they present a peculiar cellular architecture, with axons that are not myelinated for a long intra-retinal segment, thus, very energy dependent. The genetic landscape of causative mutations and genes greatly enlarged in the last decade, pointing to common pathways. These mostly imply mitochondrial dysfunction, which leads to a similar outcome in terms of neurodegeneration. We here critically review these pathways, which include (1) complex I-related oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) dysfunction, (2) mitochondrial dynamics, and (3) endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial inter-organellar crosstalk. These major pathogenic mechanisms are in turn interconnected and represent the target for therapeutic strategies. Thus, their deep understanding is the basis to set and test new effective therapies, an urgent unmet need for these patients. New tools are now available to capture all interlinked mechanistic intricacies for the pathogenesis of optic nerve neurodegeneration, casting hope for innovative therapies to be rapidly transferred into the clinic and effectively cure inherited optic neuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Maresca
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Valerio Carelli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Programma di Neurogenetica, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy
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25
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Zhao F, Grimm SA, Yao HHC. Molecular Actions Underlying Wolffian Duct Regression in Sexual Differentiation of Murine Reproductive Tracts. Sex Dev 2021; 14:51-59. [PMID: 33684916 PMCID: PMC8328876 DOI: 10.1159/000513878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually dimorphic establishment of the reproductive tract system requires sex-specific regression of the Wolffian duct and Müllerian duct in the mesonephros. In an XX embryo, the Wolffian duct regresses under the control of the mesenchymal transcription factor COUP-TFII. To understand cellular and molecular actions underlying Wolffian duct regression, we performed transcriptomic analyses of XX mesonephroi with or without Coup-tfII and genome-wide analysis of COUP-TFII chromatin occupancy in XX mesonephroi. The integrative analysis of COUP-TFII genome-wide binding and transcriptomic analysis revealed the suppression of muscle differentiation and extracellular matrix genes by COUP-TFII and identified a group of potential transcriptional partners of COUP-TFII in the mesenchyme that potentially facilitate Wolffian duct regression. These findings provide insights into the molecular action of COUP-TFII in the Wolffian duct mesenchyme and identify a list of biologically relevant candidate genes and pathways for future functional analyses in sexual differentiation of reproductive tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zhao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sara A Grimm
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Humphrey H-C Yao
- Reproductive Developmental Biology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA,
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26
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Kadkhodaeian HA. Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Signaling Pathways in Transdifferentiation Into Retinal Progenitor Cells. Basic Clin Neurosci 2021; 12:29-42. [PMID: 33995925 PMCID: PMC8114861 DOI: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Several signaling pathways and transcription factors control the cell fate in its in vitro development and differentiation. The orchestrated use of these factors results in cell specification. In coculture methods, many of these factors secrete from host cells but control the process. Today, transcription factors required for retinal progenitor cells are well known, but the generation of these cells from mesenchymal stem cells is an ideal goal. The purpose of the paper is to review novel methods for retinal progenitor cell production and selecting a set of signaling molecules in the presence of adult retinal pigment epithelium and extraocular mesenchyme acting as inducers of retinal cell differentiation.
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27
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Bertacchi M, Romano AL, Loubat A, Tran Mau-Them F, Willems M, Faivre L, Khau van Kien P, Perrin L, Devillard F, Sorlin A, Kuentz P, Philippe C, Garde A, Neri F, Di Giaimo R, Oliviero S, Cappello S, D'Incerti L, Frassoni C, Studer M. NR2F1 regulates regional progenitor dynamics in the mouse neocortex and cortical gyrification in BBSOAS patients. EMBO J 2020; 39:e104163. [PMID: 32484994 PMCID: PMC7327499 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019104163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationships between impaired cortical development and consequent malformations in neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as the genes implicated in these processes, are not fully elucidated to date. In this study, we report six novel cases of patients affected by BBSOAS (Boonstra‐Bosch‐Schaff optic atrophy syndrome), a newly emerging rare neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by loss‐of‐function mutations of the transcriptional regulator NR2F1. Young patients with NR2F1 haploinsufficiency display mild to moderate intellectual disability and show reproducible polymicrogyria‐like brain malformations in the parietal and occipital cortex. Using a recently established BBSOAS mouse model, we found that Nr2f1 regionally controls long‐term self‐renewal of neural progenitor cells via modulation of cell cycle genes and key cortical development master genes, such as Pax6. In the human fetal cortex, distinct NR2F1 expression levels encompass gyri and sulci and correlate with local degrees of neurogenic activity. In addition, reduced NR2F1 levels in cerebral organoids affect neurogenesis and PAX6 expression. We propose NR2F1 as an area‐specific regulator of mouse and human brain morphology and a novel causative gene of abnormal gyrification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Bertacchi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France.,Clinical and Experimental Epileptology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Agnès Loubat
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France
| | - Frederic Tran Mau-Them
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Marjolaine Willems
- Hôpital Arnaud de Villeneuve, Service de Génétique Médicale, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurence Faivre
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Philippe Khau van Kien
- Hôpital Carémeau, UF de Génétique Médicale et Cytogénétique, Centre de Compétences Anomalies du Développement et Syndromes Malformatifs, CHU de Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Laurence Perrin
- Unité Fonctionnelle de Génétique Clinique, Hôpital Robert Debré, Paris, France
| | - Françoise Devillard
- Département de Génétique et Procréation, Hôpital Couple-Enfant, CHU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France
| | - Arthur Sorlin
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de référence maladies rares « Déficiences intellectuelles de causes rares », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Paul Kuentz
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Génétique Biologique, PCBio, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Besançon, Besançon, France
| | - Christophe Philippe
- UMR1231 GAD, Inserm - Université Bourgogne-Franche Comté, Dijon, France.,Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Aurore Garde
- Unité Fonctionnelle Innovation en Diagnostic Génomique des Maladies Rares, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France.,Centre de Référence maladies rares « Anomalies du développement et syndromes malformatifs », Centre de Génétique, FHU-TRANSLAD, CHU Dijon Bourgogne, Dijon, France
| | - Francesco Neri
- Epigenetics Unit, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.,Leibniz Institute on Aging, Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany
| | - Rossella Di Giaimo
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.,Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, München, Germany
| | - Salvatore Oliviero
- Epigenetics Unit, Italian Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Ludovico D'Incerti
- Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Carolina Frassoni
- Clinical and Experimental Epileptology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | - Michèle Studer
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Paris, France
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28
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Chen CA, Wang W, Pedersen SE, Raman A, Seymour ML, Ruiz FR, Xia A, van der Heijden ME, Wang L, Yin J, Lopez J, Rech ME, Lewis RA, Wu SM, Liu Z, Pereira FA, Pautler RG, Zoghbi HY, Schaaf CP. Nr2f1 heterozygous knockout mice recapitulate neurological phenotypes of Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome and show impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:705-715. [PMID: 31600777 PMCID: PMC7104670 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddz233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) has been identified as an autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by a complex neurological phenotype, with high prevalence of intellectual disability and optic nerve atrophy/hypoplasia. The syndrome is caused by loss-of-function mutations in NR2F1, which encodes a highly conserved nuclear receptor that serves as a transcriptional regulator. Previous investigations to understand the protein's role in neurodevelopment have mostly used mouse models with constitutive and tissue-specific homozygous knockout of Nr2f1. In order to represent the human disease more accurately, which is caused by heterozygous NR2F1 mutations, we investigated a heterozygous knockout mouse model and found that this model recapitulates some of the neurological phenotypes of BBSOAS, including altered learning/memory, hearing defects, neonatal hypotonia and decreased hippocampal volume. The mice showed altered fear memory, and further electrophysiological investigation in hippocampal slices revealed significantly reduced long-term potentiation and long-term depression. These results suggest that a deficit or alteration in hippocampal synaptic plasticity may contribute to the intellectual disability frequently seen in BBSOAS. RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis revealed significant differential gene expression in the adult Nr2f1+/- hippocampus, including the up-regulation of multiple matrix metalloproteases, which are known to be critical for the development and the plasticity of the nervous system. Taken together, our studies highlight the important role of Nr2f1 in neurodevelopment. The discovery of impaired hippocampal synaptic plasticity in the heterozygous mouse model sheds light on the pathophysiology of altered memory and cognitive function in BBSOAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-An Chen
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Steen E Pedersen
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics-Cardiovascular Sciences Track, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Commonwealth of Dominica
| | - Ayush Raman
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Michelle L Seymour
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fernanda R Ruiz
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anping Xia
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Meike E van der Heijden
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jiani Yin
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joanna Lopez
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Megan E Rech
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Richard A Lewis
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Samuel M Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Zhandong Liu
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fred A Pereira
- Huffington Center on Aging and Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Robia G Pautler
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics-Cardiovascular Sciences Track, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Huda Y Zoghbi
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Bojanek EK, Mosconi MW, Guter S, Betancur C, Macmillan C, Cook EH. Clinical and neurocognitive issues associated with Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome: A case study. Am J Med Genet A 2019; 182:213-218. [PMID: 31729143 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 1 (NR2F1) is an orphan receptor and transcriptional regulator that is involved in neurogenesis, visual processing and development, and cortical patterning. Alterations in NR2F1 cause Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS), a recently described autosomal dominant disorder characterized by intellectual and developmental disabilities and optic atrophy. This study describes the clinical and neurocognitive features of an individual with a de novo nonsense variant in NR2F1 (NM_005654.5:c.82C > T, p.Gln28*), identified by whole exome sequencing. The patient was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and unlike most previously reported cases, he had no developmental delay, superior verbal abilities (verbal IQ = 141), and high educational attainment despite reduced nonverbal abilities (nonverbal IQ = 63). He had optic nerve hypoplasia with minimal visual impairment as well as mild dysmorphic features. Compared to both age-matched individuals with ASD and healthy controls, the patient showed reductions in manual motor speed, accuracy of saccadic eye movements, and rates of successful behavioral response inhibition. Although the majority of previously reported cases of BBSOAS have been associated with more global intellectual dysfunction, we report on a patient with selective disruption of nonverbal abilities and superior verbal abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Bojanek
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical Center, Overland Park, Kansas
| | - Matthew W Mosconi
- Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies and Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.,Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training (K-CART), University of Kansas Medical Center, Overland Park, Kansas
| | - Stephen Guter
- Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Catalina Betancur
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, Paris, France
| | - Carol Macmillan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Edwin H Cook
- Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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30
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Neuron-Astroglia Cell Fate Decision in the Adult Mouse Hippocampal Neurogenic Niche Is Cell-Intrinsically Controlled by COUP-TFI In Vivo. Cell Rep 2019; 24:329-341. [PMID: 29996095 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In the dentate gyrus (DG) of the mouse hippocampus, neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis persist throughout life. Adult-born neurons and astrocytes originate from multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs) whose activity is tightly regulated within the neurogenic niche. However, the cell-intrinsic mechanisms controlling neuron-glia NSC fate choice are largely unknown. Here, we show COUP-TFI/NR2F1 expression in DG NSCs and its downregulation upon neuroinflammation. By using in vivo inducible knockout lines, a retroviral-based loss-of-function approach and genetic fate mapping, we demonstrate that COUP-TFI inactivation in adult NSCs and/or mitotic progenitors reduces neurogenesis and increases astrocyte production without depleting the NSC pool. Moreover, forced COUP-TFI expression in adult NSCs/progenitors decreases DG astrogliogenesis and rescues the neuro-astrogliogenic imbalance under neuroinflammation. Thus, COUP-TFI is necessary and sufficient to promote neurogenesis by suppressing astrogliogenesis. Our data propose COUP-TFI as a central regulator of the neuron-astroglia cell fate decision and a key modulator during neuroinflammation in the adult hippocampus.
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31
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Mehanovic S, Mendoza-Villarroel RE, Viger RS, Tremblay JJ. The Nuclear Receptor COUP-TFII Regulates Amhr2 Gene Transcription via a GC-Rich Promoter Element in Mouse Leydig Cells. J Endocr Soc 2019; 3:2236-2257. [PMID: 31723721 PMCID: PMC6839530 DOI: 10.1210/js.2019-00266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The nuclear receptor chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter–transcription factor type II (COUP-TFII)/NR2F2 is expressed in adult Leydig cells, and conditional deletion of the Coup-tfii/Nr2f2 gene impedes their differentiation. Steroid production is also reduced in COUP-TFII–depleted Leydig cells, supporting an additional role in steroidogenesis for this transcription factor. COUP-TFII action in Leydig cells remains to be fully characterized. In the present work, we report that COUP-TFII is an essential regulator of the gene encoding the anti-Müllerian hormone receptor type 2 (Amhr2), which participates in Leydig cell differentiation and steroidogenesis. We found that Amhr2 mRNA levels are reduced in COUP-TFII–depleted MA-10 Leydig cells. Consistent with this, COUP-TFII directly activates a −1486 bp fragment of the mouse Amhr2 promoter in transient transfection assays. The COUP-TFII responsive region was localized between −67 and −34 bp. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay confirmed COUP-TFII recruitment to the proximal Amhr2 promoter whereas DNA precipitation assay revealed that COUP-TFII associates with the −67/−34 bp region in vitro. Even though the −67/−34 bp region contains an imperfect nuclear receptor element, COUP-TFII–mediated activation of the Amhr2 promoter requires a GC-rich sequence at −39 bp known to bind the specificity protein (SP)1 transcription factor. COUP-TFII transcriptionally cooperates with SP1 on the Amhr2 promoter. Mutations that altered the GCGGGGCGG sequence at −39 bp abolished COUP-TFII–mediated activation, COUP-TFII/SP1 cooperation, and reduced COUP-TFII binding to the proximal Amhr2 promoter. Our data provide a better understanding of the mechanism of COUP-TFII action in Leydig cells through the identification and regulation of the Amhr2 promoter as a novel target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Mehanovic
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Raifish E Mendoza-Villarroel
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Robert S Viger
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Centre for Research in Reproduction, Development and Intergenerational Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacques J Tremblay
- Reproduction, Mother and Child Health, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.,Centre for Research in Reproduction, Development and Intergenerational Health, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
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32
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Bertacchi M, Gruart A, Kaimakis P, Allet C, Serra L, Giacobini P, Delgado-García JM, Bovolenta P, Studer M. Mouse Nr2f1 haploinsufficiency unveils new pathological mechanisms of a human optic atrophy syndrome. EMBO Mol Med 2019; 11:e10291. [PMID: 31318166 PMCID: PMC6685104 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201910291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Optic nerve atrophy represents the most common form of hereditary optic neuropathies leading to vision impairment. The recently described Bosch‐Boonstra‐Schaaf optic atrophy (BBSOA) syndrome denotes an autosomal dominant genetic form of neuropathy caused by mutations or deletions in the NR2F1 gene. Herein, we describe a mouse model recapitulating key features of BBSOA patients—optic nerve atrophy, optic disc anomalies, and visual deficits—thus representing the only available mouse model for this syndrome. Notably, Nr2f1‐deficient optic nerves develop an imbalance between oligodendrocytes and astrocytes leading to postnatal hypomyelination and astrogliosis. Adult heterozygous mice display a slower optic axonal conduction velocity from the retina to high‐order visual centers together with associative visual learning deficits. Importantly, some of these clinical features, such the optic nerve hypomyelination, could be rescued by chemical drug treatment in early postnatal life. Overall, our data shed new insights into the cellular mechanisms of optic nerve atrophy in BBSOA patients and open a promising avenue for future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Bertacchi
- CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Agnès Gruart
- Division of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain
| | - Polynikis Kaimakis
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Campus de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cécile Allet
- Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center (JPArc), Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, UMR-S 1172, Inserm, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1,000 Days for Health, Lille, France
| | - Linda Serra
- CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,Department of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center (JPArc), Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, UMR-S 1172, Inserm, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1,000 Days for Health, Lille, France
| | | | - Paola Bovolenta
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", CSIC-UAM, Madrid, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Campus de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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33
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Guo H, Tian L, Zhang JZ, Kitani T, Paik DT, Lee WH, Wu JC. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation Delineates Adverse Effects of Nicotine on Embryonic Development. Stem Cell Reports 2019; 12:772-786. [PMID: 30827876 PMCID: PMC6449785 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotine, the main chemical constituent of tobacco, is highly detrimental to the developing fetus by increasing the risk of gestational complications and organ disorders. The effects of nicotine on human embryonic development and related mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. Here, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived embryoid body (EB) in the presence or absence of nicotine. Nicotine-induced lineage-specific responses and dysregulated cell-to-cell communication in EBs, shedding light on the adverse effects of nicotine on human embryonic development. In addition, nicotine reduced cell viability, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and altered cell cycling in EBs. Abnormal Ca2+ signaling was found in muscle cells upon nicotine exposure, as verified in hESC-derived cardiomyocytes. Consequently, our scRNA-seq data suggest direct adverse effects of nicotine on hESC differentiation at the single-cell level and offer a new method for evaluating drug and environmental toxicity on human embryonic development in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongchao Guo
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lei Tian
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joe Z Zhang
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Tomoya Kitani
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David T Paik
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Won Hee Lee
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, 265 Campus Drive G1120B, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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34
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Donato L, Scimone C, Nicocia G, D'Angelo R, Sidoti A. Role of oxidative stress in Retinitis pigmentosa: new involved pathways by an RNA-Seq analysis. Cell Cycle 2018; 18:84-104. [PMID: 30569795 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1558873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a very heterogeneous inherited ocular disorder group characterized by progressive retinal disruption. Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) degeneration, due to oxidative stress which arrests the metabolic support to photoreceptors, represents one of the principal causes of RP. Here, the role of oxidative stress in RP onset and progression was analyzed by a comparative whole transcriptome analysis of human RPE cells, treated with 100 µg/ml of oxLDL and untreated, at different time points. Experiment was thrice repeated and performed on Ion ProtonTM sequencing system. Data analysis, including low quality reads trimming and gene expression quantification, was realized by CLC Genomics Workbench software. The whole analysis highlighted 14 clustered "macro-pathways" and many sub-pathways, classified by selection of 5271 genes showing the highest alteration of expression. Among them, 23 genes were already known to be RP causative ones (15 over-expressed and 8 down-expressed), and their enrichment and intersection analyses highlighted new 77 candidate related genes (49 over-expressed and 28 down-expressed). A final filtering analysis then highlighted 29 proposed candidate genes. This data suggests that many new genes, not yet associated with RP, could influence its etiopathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Donato
- a Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Division of Medical Biotechnologies and Preventive Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,b Department of Cutting-Edge Medicine and Therapies, Biomolecular Strategies and Neuroscience, Section of Applied Neuroscience, Molecular Genetics and Predictive Medicine , I.E.ME.S.T. ., Palermo , Italy
| | - Concetta Scimone
- a Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Division of Medical Biotechnologies and Preventive Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,b Department of Cutting-Edge Medicine and Therapies, Biomolecular Strategies and Neuroscience, Section of Applied Neuroscience, Molecular Genetics and Predictive Medicine , I.E.ME.S.T. ., Palermo , Italy
| | - Giacomo Nicocia
- c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy
| | - Rosalia D'Angelo
- a Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Division of Medical Biotechnologies and Preventive Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,b Department of Cutting-Edge Medicine and Therapies, Biomolecular Strategies and Neuroscience, Section of Applied Neuroscience, Molecular Genetics and Predictive Medicine , I.E.ME.S.T. ., Palermo , Italy
| | - Antonina Sidoti
- a Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Division of Medical Biotechnologies and Preventive Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.,b Department of Cutting-Edge Medicine and Therapies, Biomolecular Strategies and Neuroscience, Section of Applied Neuroscience, Molecular Genetics and Predictive Medicine , I.E.ME.S.T. ., Palermo , Italy
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35
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Bertacchi M, Parisot J, Studer M. The pleiotropic transcriptional regulator COUP-TFI plays multiple roles in neural development and disease. Brain Res 2018; 1705:75-94. [PMID: 29709504 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Transcription factors are expressed in a dynamic fashion both in time and space during brain development, and exert their roles by activating a cascade of multiple target genes. This implies that understanding the precise function of a transcription factor becomes a challenging task. In this review, we will focus on COUP-TFI (or NR2F1), a nuclear receptor belonging to the superfamily of the steroid/thyroid hormone receptors, and considered to be one of the major transcriptional regulators orchestrating cortical arealization, cell-type specification and maturation. Recent data have unraveled the multi-faceted functions of COUP-TFI in the development of several mouse brain structures, including the neocortex, hippocampus and ganglionic eminences. Despite NR2F1 mutations and deletions in humans have been linked to a complex neurodevelopmental disease mainly associated to optic atrophy and intellectual disability, its role during the formation of the retina and optic nerve remains unclear. In light of its major influence in cortical development, we predict that its haploinsufficiency might be the cause of other cognitive diseases, not identified so far. Mouse models offer a unique opportunity of dissecting COUP-TFI function in different regions during brain assembly; hence, the importance of comparing and discussing common points linking mouse models to human patients' symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Bertacchi
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV - Institut de Biologie Valrose, 06108 Nice, France.
| | - Josephine Parisot
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV - Institut de Biologie Valrose, 06108 Nice, France
| | - Michèle Studer
- Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV - Institut de Biologie Valrose, 06108 Nice, France.
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36
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Upadia J, Gonzales PR, Robin NH. Novel de novo pathogenic variant in the NR2F2 gene in a boy with congenital heart defect and dysmorphic features. Am J Med Genet A 2018; 176:1423-1426. [PMID: 29663647 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.38700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 03/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The NR2F2 gene plays an important role in angiogenesis and heart development. Moreover, this gene is involved in organogenesis in many other organs in mouse models. Variants in this gene have been reported in a number of patients with nonsyndromic atrioventricular septal defect, and in one patient with congenital heart defect and dysmorphic features. Here we report an 11-month-old Caucasian male with global developmental delay, dysmorphic features, coarctation of the aorta, and ventricular septal defect. He was later found to have a pathogenic mutation in the NR2F2 gene by whole exome sequencing. This is the second instance in which an NR2F2 mutation has been identified in a child with a congenital heart defect and other anomalies. This case suggests that some variants in NR2F2 may cause syndromic forms of congenital heart defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jariya Upadia
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Patrick R Gonzales
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Nathaniel H Robin
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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37
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Liu K, Zou C, Qin B. The association between nuclear receptors and ocular diseases. Oncotarget 2018; 8:27603-27615. [PMID: 28187442 PMCID: PMC5432361 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.15178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Nuclear hormone receptors (NRs) are one of the most abundant transcription factors in the human cells. They regulate expression of genes via interactions with corresponding ligands, co-activators, and co-repressors. These molecular pathways play important roles in the development, cell differentiation, and physiologic and metabolic processes. Increasingly, targeting nuclear receptors is becoming a promising strategy for new drug development. The aim of this review is to discuss the association between nuclear receptors and eye development, and expand their role in various ocular diseases such as keratitis, cataract, glaucoma, uveitis, retinopathy, and ophthalmic tumors. Recent studies in this area are highlighted as well as future research directions and potential clinical applications. Finally, various strategies will be elucidated to inspire more targeted therapies for ocular diseases through the use of nuclear receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Liu
- Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Joint College of Optometry of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Ocular Trauma Treatment and Stem Cell Differentiation Public Service Platform of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chang Zou
- Clinical Medical Research Center, The Second Clinical Medical College, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bo Qin
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Affiliated Shenzhen Eye Hospital of Jinan University, Joint College of Optometry of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Ocular Trauma Treatment and Stem Cell Differentiation Public Service Platform of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
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38
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Barske L, Rataud P, Behizad K, Del Rio L, Cox SG, Crump JG. Essential Role of Nr2f Nuclear Receptors in Patterning the Vertebrate Upper Jaw. Dev Cell 2018; 44:337-347.e5. [PMID: 29358039 PMCID: PMC5801120 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The jaw is central to the extensive variety of feeding and predatory behaviors across vertebrates. The bones of the lower but not upper jaw form around an early-developing cartilage template. Whereas Endothelin1 patterns the lower jaw, the factors that specify upper-jaw morphology remain elusive. Here, we identify Nuclear Receptor 2f genes (Nr2fs) as enriched in and required for upper-jaw formation in zebrafish. Combinatorial loss of Nr2fs transforms maxillary components of the upper jaw into lower-jaw-like structures. Conversely, nr2f5 misexpression disrupts lower-jaw development. Genome-wide analyses reveal that Nr2fs repress mandibular gene expression and early chondrogenesis in maxillary precursors. Rescue of lower-jaw defects in endothelin1 mutants by reducing Nr2f dosage further demonstrates that Nr2f expression must be suppressed for normal lower-jaw development. We propose that Nr2fs shape the upper jaw by protecting maxillary progenitors from early chondrogenesis, thus preserving cells for later osteogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey Barske
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Pauline Rataud
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Kasra Behizad
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Lisa Del Rio
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Samuel G Cox
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - J Gage Crump
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, W.M. Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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39
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Genes and pathways in optic fissure closure. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 91:55-65. [PMID: 29198497 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Embryonic development of the vertebrate eye begins with the formation of an optic vesicle which folds inwards to form a double-layered optic cup with a fissure on the ventral surface, known as the optic fissure. Closure of the optic fissure is essential for subsequent growth and development of the eye. A defect in this process can leave a gap in the iris, retina or optic nerve, known as a coloboma, which can lead to severe visual impairment. This review brings together current information about genes and pathways regulating fissure closure from human coloboma patients and animal models. It focuses especially on current understanding of the morphological changes and processes of epithelial remodelling occurring at the fissure margins.
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40
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Schwach V, Verkerk AO, Mol M, Monshouwer-Kloots JJ, Devalla HD, Orlova VV, Anastassiadis K, Mummery CL, Davis RP, Passier R. A COUP-TFII Human Embryonic Stem Cell Reporter Line to Identify and Select Atrial Cardiomyocytes. Stem Cell Reports 2017; 9:1765-1779. [PMID: 29173897 PMCID: PMC5785710 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2017.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Revised: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporter cell lines have already proven valuable in identifying, tracking, and purifying cardiac subtypes and progenitors during differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). We previously showed that chick ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII) is highly enriched in human atrial cardiomyocytes (CMs), but not ventricular. Here, we targeted mCherry to the COUP-TFII genomic locus in hPSCs expressing GFP from the NKX2.5 locus. This dual atrial NKX2.5EGFP/+-COUP-TFIImCherry/+ reporter line allowed identification and selection of GFP+ (G+)/mCherry+ (M+) CMs following cardiac differentiation. These cells exhibited transcriptional and functional properties of atrial CMs, whereas G+/M− CMs displayed ventricular characteristics. Via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, we demonstrated that COUP-TFII is not required for atrial specification in hPSCs. This new tool allowed selection of human atrial and ventricular CMs from mixed populations, of relevance for studying cardiac specification, developing human atrial disease models, and examining distinct effects of drugs on the atrium versus ventricle. Dual NKX2.5EGFP/+-COUP-TFIImCherry/+ hPSCs to identify atrial cardiomyocytes COUP-TFII is not required for atrial specification of hPSCs in vitro
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Schwach
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Arie O Verkerk
- Heart Failure Research Center, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Mervyn Mol
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Harsha D Devalla
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Valeria V Orlova
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Christine L Mummery
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Richard P Davis
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Passier
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Applied Stem Cell Technologies, MIRA Institute, University of Twente, Twente, the Netherlands.
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41
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Kaiwar C, Zimmermann MT, Ferber MJ, Niu Z, Urrutia RA, Klee EW, Babovic-Vuksanovic D. Novel NR2F1 variants likely disrupt DNA binding: molecular modeling in two cases, review of published cases, genotype-phenotype correlation, and phenotypic expansion of the Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome. Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2017; 3:mcs.a002162. [PMID: 28963436 PMCID: PMC5701304 DOI: 10.1101/mcs.a002162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome (BBSOAS) is a recently described autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the NR2F1 gene. There are presently 28 cases of BBSOAS described in the literature. Its common features include developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, optic nerve atrophy, attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorder, seizures, hearing defects, spasticity, and thinning of the corpus callosum. Here we report two unrelated probands with novel, de novo, missense variants in NR2F1 The first is a 14-yr-old male patient with hypotonia, intellectual disability, optic nerve hypoplasia, delayed bone age, short stature, and altered neurotransmitter levels on cerebrospinal fluid testing. The second is a 5-yr-old female with severe developmental delay, motor and speech delay, and repetitive motion behavior. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel missense NR2F1 variant in each case, Cys86Phe in the DNA-binding domain in Case 1, and a Leu372Pro in the ligand-binding domain in Case 2. The presence of clinical findings compatible with BBSOAS along with structural analysis at atomic resolution using homology-based molecular modeling and molecular dynamic simulations, support the pathogenicity of these variants for BBSOAS. Short stature, abnormal CNS neurotransmitters, and macrocephaly have not been previously reported for this syndrome and may represent a phenotypic expansion of BBSOAS. A review of published cases along with new evidence from this report support genotype-phenotype correlations for this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charu Kaiwar
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259, USA
| | - Michael T Zimmermann
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Division of Biomedical Statistic and Informatics, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
| | - Matthew J Ferber
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
| | - Zhiyv Niu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
| | - Raul A Urrutia
- Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Research Unit, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
| | - Eric W Klee
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Division of Biomedical Statistic and Informatics, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
| | - Dusica Babovic-Vuksanovic
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.,Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA
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42
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Gkikas D, Tsampoula M, Politis PK. Nuclear receptors in neural stem/progenitor cell homeostasis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2017; 74:4097-4120. [PMID: 28638936 PMCID: PMC11107725 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2571-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In the central nervous system, embryonic and adult neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) generate the enormous variety and huge numbers of neuronal and glial cells that provide structural and functional support in the brain and spinal cord. Over the last decades, nuclear receptors and their natural ligands have emerged as critical regulators of NSC homeostasis during embryonic development and adult life. Furthermore, substantial progress has been achieved towards elucidating the molecular mechanisms of nuclear receptors action in proliferative and differentiation capacities of NSCs. Aberrant expression or function of nuclear receptors in NSCs also contributes to the pathogenesis of various nervous system diseases. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the regulatory roles of steroid, non-steroid, and orphan nuclear receptors in NSC fate decisions. These studies establish nuclear receptors as key therapeutic targets in brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Gkikas
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Matina Tsampoula
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- Center for Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Str, 115 27, Athens, Greece.
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43
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Teotia P, Van Hook MJ, Wichman CS, Allingham RR, Hauser MA, Ahmad I. Modeling Glaucoma: Retinal Ganglion Cells Generated from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells of Patients with SIX6 Risk Allele Show Developmental Abnormalities. Stem Cells 2017; 35:2239-2252. [PMID: 28792678 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Glaucoma represents a group of multifactorial diseases with a unifying pathology of progressive retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration, causing irreversible vision loss. To test the hypothesis that RGCs are intrinsically vulnerable in glaucoma, we have developed an in vitro model using the SIX6 risk allele carrying glaucoma patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for generating functional RGCs. Here, we demonstrate that the efficiency of RGC generation by SIX6 risk allele iPSCs is significantly lower than iPSCs-derived from healthy, age- and sex-matched controls. The decrease in the number of RGC generation is accompanied by repressed developmental expression of RGC regulatory genes. The SIX6 risk allele RGCs display short and simple neurites, reduced expression of guidance molecules, and immature electrophysiological signature. In addition, these cells have higher expression of glaucoma-associated genes, CDKN2A and CDKN2B, suggesting an early onset of the disease phenotype. Consistent with the developmental abnormalities, the SIX6 risk allele RGCs display global dysregulation of genes which map on developmentally relevant biological processes for RGC differentiation and signaling pathways such as mammalian target of rapamycin that integrate diverse functions for differentiation, metabolism, and survival. The results suggest that SIX6 influences different stages of RGC differentiation and their survival; therefore, alteration in SIX6 function due to the risk allele may lead to cellular and molecular abnormalities. These abnormalities, if carried into adulthood, may make RGCs vulnerable in glaucoma. Stem Cells 2017;35:2239-2252.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Teotia
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Matthew J Van Hook
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - Christopher S Wichman
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
| | - R Rand Allingham
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael A Hauser
- Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Iqbal Ahmad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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44
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Smith R, Huang YT, Tian T, Vojtasova D, Mesalles-Naranjo O, Pollard SM, Pratt T, Price DJ, Fotaki V. The Transcription Factor Foxg1 Promotes Optic Fissure Closure in the Mouse by Suppressing Wnt8b in the Nasal Optic Stalk. J Neurosci 2017; 37:7975-7993. [PMID: 28729440 PMCID: PMC5559767 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0286-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During vertebrate eye morphogenesis, a transient fissure forms at its inferior part, known as the optic fissure. This will gradually close, giving rise to a healthy, spherical optic cup. Failure of the optic fissure to close gives rise to an ocular disorder known as coloboma. During this developmental process, Foxg1 is expressed in the optic neuroepithelium, with highest levels of expression in the nasal optic stalk. Foxg1-/- mutant mice have microphthalmic eyes with a large ventral coloboma. We found Wnt8b expression upregulated in the Foxg1-/- optic stalk and hypothesized that, similar to what is observed in telencephalic development, Foxg1 directs development of the optic neuroepithelium through transcriptional suppression of Wnt8b To test this, we generated Foxg1-/-;Wnt8b-/- double mutants of either sex and found that the morphology of the optic cup and stalk and the closure of the optic fissure were substantially rescued in these embryos. This rescue correlates with restored Pax2 expression in the anterior tip of the optic fissure. In addition, although we do not find evidence implicating altered proliferation in the rescue, we observe a significant increase in apoptotic cell density in Foxg1-/-;Wnt8b-/- double mutants compared with the Foxg1-/- single mutant. Upregulation of Wnt/β-catenin target molecules in the optic cup and stalk may underlie the molecular and morphological defects in the Foxg1-/- mutant. Our results show that proper optic fissure closure relies on Wnt8b suppression by Foxg1 in the nasal optic stalk to maintain balanced apoptosis and Pax2 expression in the nasal and temporal edges of the fissure.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Coloboma is an ocular disorder that may result in a loss of visual acuity and accounts for ∼10% of childhood blindness. It results from errors in the sealing of the optic fissure (OF), a transient structure at the bottom of the eye. Here, we investigate the colobomatous phenotype of the Foxg1-/- mutant mouse. We identify upregulated expression of Wnt8b in the optic stalk of Foxg1-/- mutants before OF closure initiates. Foxg1-/-;Wnt8b-/- double mutants show a substantial rescue of the Foxg1-/- coloboma phenotype, which correlates with a rescue in molecular and cellular defects of Foxg1-/- mutants. Our results unravel a new role of Foxg1 in promoting OF closure providing additional knowledge about the molecules and cellular mechanisms underlying coloboma formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowena Smith
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Yu-Ting Huang
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Tian Tian
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Dominika Vojtasova
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Oscar Mesalles-Naranjo
- Information Service Division, NHS National Services Scotland, Edinburgh, EH12 9EB, United Kingdom
| | - Steven M Pollard
- Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, United Kingdom, and
- Edinburgh Cancer Research UK Cancer Centre, Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Pratt
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - David J Price
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom
| | - Vassiliki Fotaki
- Edinburgh Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Integrative Physiology, Edinburgh, EH8 9XD, United Kingdom,
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45
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Burnett JB, Lupu FI, Eggenschwiler JT. Proper ciliary assembly is critical for restricting Hedgehog signaling during early eye development in mice. Dev Biol 2017; 430:32-40. [PMID: 28778798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Patterning of the vertebrate eye into optic stalk, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and neural retina (NR) territories relies on a number of signaling pathways, but how these signals are interpreted by optic progenitors is not well understood. The primary cilium is a microtubule-based organelle that is essential for Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, but it has also been implicated in the regulation of other signaling pathways. Here, we show that the optic primordium is ciliated during early eye development and that ciliogenesis is essential for proper patterning and morphogenesis of the mouse eye. Ift172 mutants fail to generate primary cilia and exhibit patterning defects that resemble those of Gli3 mutants, suggesting that cilia are required to restrict Hh activity during eye formation. Ift122 mutants, which produce cilia with abnormal morphology, generate optic vesicles that fail to invaginate to produce the optic cup. These mutants also lack formation of the lens, RPE and NR. Such phenotypic features are accompanied by strong, ectopic Hh pathway activity, evidenced by altered gene expression patterns. Removal of GLI2 from Ift122 mutants rescued several aspects of optic cup and lens morphogenesis as well as RPE and NR specification. Collectively, our data suggest that proper assembly of primary cilia is critical for restricting the Hedgehog pathway during eye formation in the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob B Burnett
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
| | - Floria I Lupu
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States
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46
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Feng S, Xing C, Shen T, Qiao Y, Wang R, Chen J, Liao J, Lu Z, Yang X, Abd-Allah SM, Li J, Jing N, Tang K. Abnormal Paraventricular Nucleus of Hypothalamus and Growth Retardation Associated with Loss of Nuclear Receptor Gene COUP-TFII. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5282. [PMID: 28706241 PMCID: PMC5509697 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-05682-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus plays important roles in the regulation of energy balance and fetal growth. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its formation and function have not been clearly elucidated. Various mutations in the human COUP-TFII gene, which encodes a nuclear receptor, result in growth retardation, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and congenital heart defects. Here, we show that COUP-TFII gene is expressed in the developing hypothalamus in mouse. The ventral forebrain-specific RXCre/+; COUP-TFIIF/F mutant mice display growth retardation. The development of the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus is compromised in the COUP-TFII mutant mainly because of increased apoptosis and mis-migration of the Brn2+ neurons. Moreover, hypoplastic anterior pituitary with blood cell clusters and shrunken posterior pituitary lacking AVP/OT neuron innervations are observed in the mutant, indicating the failure of formation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Mechanistic studies show that the expression of Bdnf and Nrp1 genes is reduced in the mutant embryo, and that Bdnf is a direct downstream target of the COUP-TFII protein. Thus, our findings provide a novel functional validation that COUP-TFII gene promotes the expression of Bdnf and Nrp1 genes to ensure the appropriate morphogenesis of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, especially the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus, and to prevent growth retardation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Feng
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Can Xing
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China
| | - Tingyu Shen
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China
| | - Yunbo Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China.,Precise Genome Engineering Center, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Ran Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Jiaoyang Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Zhuo Lu
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China
| | - Xiong Yang
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China
| | - Saber Mohamed Abd-Allah
- Theriogenology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62511, Egypt
| | - Jinsong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Naihe Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai, 200031, China. .,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, 100 Haike Road, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Ke Tang
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, China.
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47
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Hu JS, Vogt D, Lindtner S, Sandberg M, Silberberg SN, Rubenstein JLR. Coup-TF1 and Coup-TF2 control subtype and laminar identity of MGE-derived neocortical interneurons. Development 2017; 144:2837-2851. [PMID: 28694260 DOI: 10.1242/dev.150664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Distinct cortical interneuron (CIN) subtypes have unique circuit functions; dysfunction in specific subtypes is implicated in neuropsychiatric disorders. Somatostatin- and parvalbumin-expressing (SST+ and PV+) interneurons are the two major subtypes generated by medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) progenitors. Spatial and temporal mechanisms governing their cell-fate specification and differential integration into cortical layers are largely unknown. We provide evidence that Coup-TF1 and Coup-TF2 (Nr2f1 and Nr2f2) transcription factor expression in an arc-shaped progenitor domain within the MGE promotes time-dependent survival of this neuroepithelium and the time-dependent specification of layer V SST+ CINs. Coup-TF1 and Coup-TF2 autonomously repress PV+ fate in MGE progenitors, in part through directly driving Sox6 expression. These results have identified, in mouse, a transcriptional pathway that controls SST-PV fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Sheng Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Daniel Vogt
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Susan Lindtner
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Magnus Sandberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Shanni N Silberberg
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - John L R Rubenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuroscience Program and the Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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48
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Zhang T, Li XH, Zhang DB, Liu XY, Zhao F, Lin XW, Wang R, Lang HX, Pang XN. Repression of COUP-TFI Improves Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation into Insulin-Producing Cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2017; 8:220-231. [PMID: 28918023 PMCID: PMC5504083 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2017.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Identifying molecular mechanisms that regulate insulin expression in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs) can provide clues on how to stimulate the differentiation of bmMSCs into insulin-producing cells (IPCs), which can be used as a therapeutic approach against type 1 diabetes (T1D). As repression factors may inhibit differentiation, the efficiency of this process is insufficient for cell transplantation. In this study, we used the mouse insulin 2 (Ins2) promoter sequence and performed a DNA affinity precipitation assay combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the transcription factor, chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcriptional factor I (COUP-TFI). Functionally, bmMSCs were reprogrammed into IPCs via COUP-TFI suppression and MafA overexpression. The differentiated cells expressed higher levels of genes specific for islet endocrine cells, and they released C-peptide and insulin in response to glucose stimulation. Transplantation of IPCs into streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice caused a reduction in hyperglycemia. Mechanistically, COUP-TFI bound to the DR1 (direct repeats with 1 spacer) element in the Ins2 promoter, thereby negatively regulating promoter activity. Taken together, the data provide a novel mechanism by which COUP-TFI acts as a negative regulator in the Ins2 promoter. The differentiation of bmMSCs into IPCs could be improved by knockdown of COUP-TFI, which may provide a novel stem cell-based therapy for T1D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhang
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Hang Li
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dian-Bao Zhang
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Yu Liu
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhao
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Wen Lin
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Xin Lang
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi-Ning Pang
- Department of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Shenyang Key Laboratory for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, and Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China; Science Experiment Center, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China.
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49
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Chen CA, Yin J, Lewis RA, Schaaf CP. Genetic causes of optic nerve hypoplasia. J Med Genet 2017; 54:441-449. [PMID: 28501829 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2017-104626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) is the most common congenital optic nerve anomaly and a leading cause of blindness in the USA. Although most cases of ONH occur as isolated cases within their respective families, the advancement in molecular diagnostic technology has made us realise that a substantial fraction of cases has identifiable genetic causes, typically de novo mutations. An increasing number of genes has been reported, mutations of which can cause ONH. Many of the genes involved serve as transcription factors, participating in an intricate multistep process critical to eye development and neurogenesis in the neural retina. This review will discuss the respective genes and mutations, human phenotypes, and animal models that have been created to gain a deeper understanding of the disorders. The identification of the underlying gene and mutation provides an important step in diagnosis, medical care and counselling for the affected individuals and their families. We envision that future research will lead to further disease gene identification, but will also teach us about gene-gene and gene-environment interactions relevant to optic nerve development. How much of the functional impairment of the various forms of ONH is a reflection of altered morphogenesis versus neuronal homeostasis will determine the prospect of therapeutic intervention, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of the individuals affected with ONH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-An Chen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jiani Yin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Richard Alan Lewis
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Christian P Schaaf
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.,Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
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50
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Yang X, Feng S, Tang K. COUP-TF Genes, Human Diseases, and the Development of the Central Nervous System in Murine Models. Curr Top Dev Biol 2017; 125:275-301. [PMID: 28527575 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2016.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
COUP-TFI and -TFII are members of the steroid/thyroid nuclear receptor superfamily. Recent clinical studies reveal that COUP-TFI gene mutations are associated with Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf optic atrophy syndrome displaying symptoms of optic atrophy, intellectual disability, hypotonia, seizure, autism spectrum disorders, oromotor dysfunction, thin corpus callosum, or hearing defects, and COUP-TFII gene mutations lead to congenital heart defects and/or congenital diaphragmatic hernia with developmental delay and mental defects. In this review, we first describe the functions of COUP-TF genes in the morphogenesis of mouse forebrain including cerebral cortex, hippocampus, amygdala complex, hypothalamus, and cortical interneuron. Then, we address their roles in the development of cerebellum, glial cells, neural crest cells, and adult neuronal stem cells. Clearly, the investigations on the functions of COUP-TF genes in the developing mouse central nervous system will benefit not only the understanding of neurodevelopment, but also the etiology of human mental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiong Yang
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Su Feng
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Ke Tang
- Institute of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
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