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Sunny SS, Lachova J, Kasparek P, Palkova M, Spoutil F, Prochazka J, Sedlacek R, Liskova P, Kozmik Z. Ovol2 promoter mutations in mice and human illuminate species-specific phenotypic divergence. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:491-500. [PMID: 37971355 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic variants in the highly conserved OVOL2 promoter region cause posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy (PPCD) 1 by inducing an ectopic expression of the endothelial OVOL2 mRNA. Here we produced an allelic series of Ovol2 promoter mutations in the mouse model including the heterozygous c.-307T>C variant (RefSeq NM_021220.4) causing PPCD1 in humans. Despite the high evolutionary conservation of the Ovol2 promoter, only some alterations of its sequence had phenotypic consequences in mice. Four independent sequence variants in the distal part of the Ovol2 promoter had no significant effect on endothelial Ovol2 mRNA level or caused any ocular phenotype. In contrast, the mutation c.-307T>C resulted in increased Ovol2 expression in the corneal endothelium. However, only a small fraction of adult mice c.-307T>C heterozygotes developed ocular phenotypes such as irido-corneal adhesions, and corneal opacity. Interestingly, phenotypic penetrance was increased at embryonic stages. Notably, c.-307T>C mutation is located next to the Ovol1/Ovol2 transcription factor binding site. Mice carrying an allele with a deletion encompassing the Ovol2 binding site c.-307_-320del showed significant Ovol2 gene upregulation in the cornea endothelium and exhibited phenotypes similar to the c.-307T>C mutation. In conclusion, although the mutations c.-307T>C and -307_-320del lead to a comparably strong increase in endothelial Ovol2 expression as seen in PPCD1 patients, endothelial dystrophy was not observed in the mouse model, implicating species-specific differences in endothelial cell biology. Nonetheless, the emergence of dominant ocular phenotypes associated with Ovol2 promoter variants in mice implies a potential role of this gene in eye development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweetu Susan Sunny
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Lachova
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kasparek
- Program in Craniofacial Biology and Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, CA 94158, San Francisco, United States
| | - Marcela Palkova
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics and Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, Prumyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Frantisek Spoutil
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics and Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, Prumyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prochazka
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics and Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, Prumyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedlacek
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics and Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS, Prumyslová 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Liskova
- Department of Paediatrics and Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Ke Karlovu 2, 121 08, Prague 2, Prague Czech Republic
- Department of Ophthalmology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, 128 08, Prague 2, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zbynek Kozmik
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Regulation, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20, Prague 4, Prague, Czech Republic
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Lindovsky J, Palkova M, Symkina V, Raishbrook MJ, Prochazka J, Sedlacek R. OCT and ERG Techniques in High-Throughput Phenotyping of Mouse Vision. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14020294. [PMID: 36833221 PMCID: PMC9956909 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to demonstrate coherent optical tomography and electroretinography techniques adopted from the human clinical practice to assess the morphology and function of the mouse retina in a high-throughput phenotyping environment. We present the normal range of wild-type C57Bl/6NCrl retinal parameters in six age groups between 10 and 100 weeks as well as examples of mild and severe pathologies resulting from knocking out a single protein-coding gene. We also show example data obtained by more detailed analysis or additional methods useful in eye research, for example, the angiography of a superficial and deep vascular complex. We discuss the feasibility of these techniques in conditions demanding a high-throughput approach such as the systemic phenotyping carried out by the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium.
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Szczerkowska KI, Petrezselyova S, Lindovsky J, Palkova M, Dvorak J, Makovicky P, Fang M, Jiang C, Chen L, Shi M, Liu X, Zhang J, Kubik-Zahorodna A, Schuster B, Beck IM, Novosadova V, Prochazka J, Sedlacek R. Myopia disease mouse models: a missense point mutation (S673G) and a protein-truncating mutation of the Zfp644 mimic human disease phenotype. Cell Biosci 2019; 9:21. [PMID: 30834109 PMCID: PMC6385473 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-019-0280-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc finger 644 (Zfp644 in mouse, ZNF644 in human) gene is a transcription factor whose mutation S672G is considered a potential genetic factor of inherited high myopia. ZNF644 interacts with G9a/GLP complex, which functions as a H3K9 methyltransferase to silence transcription. In this study, we generated mouse models to unravel the mechanisms leading to symptoms associated with high myopia. Employing TALEN technology, two mice mutants were generated, either with the disease-carrying mutation (Zfp644S673G) or with a truncated form of Zfp644 (Zfp644Δ8). Eye morphology and visual functions were analysed in both mutants, revealing a significant difference in a vitreous chamber depth and lens diameter, however the physiological function of retina was preserved as found under the high-myopia conditions. Our findings prove that ZNF644/Zfp644 is involved in the development of high-myopia, indicating that mutations such as, Zfp644S673G and Zfp644Δ8 are causative for changes connected with the disease. The developed models represent a valuable tool to investigate the molecular basis of myopia pathogenesis and its potential treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna I Szczerkowska
- 1Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Silvia Petrezselyova
- 1Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50 Prague, Czech Republic.,2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Lindovsky
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Palkova
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dvorak
- 1Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Peter Makovicky
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Mingyan Fang
- 3Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden.,4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | - Chongyi Jiang
- 4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | - Lingyan Chen
- 4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | - Mingming Shi
- 4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | - Xiao Liu
- 4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | - Jianguo Zhang
- 4BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China.,5China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518120 China
| | | | - Bjoern Schuster
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Inken M Beck
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic.,6Animal Research Center, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vendula Novosadova
- 2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prochazka
- 1Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50 Prague, Czech Republic.,2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radislav Sedlacek
- 1Laboratory of Transgenic Models of Diseases, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prumyslova 595, Vestec, 252 50 Prague, Czech Republic.,2Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics CAS, Prague, Czech Republic
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