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Espinoza F, Carrazana R, Retamal-Fredes E, Ávila D, Papes F, Muotri AR, Ávila A. Tcf4 dysfunction alters dorsal and ventral cortical neurogenesis in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mouse model showing sexual dimorphism. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167178. [PMID: 38636614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167178] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of transcription factor 4 (TCF4). In this work, we focused on the cerebral cortex and investigated in detail the progenitor cell dynamics and the outcome of neurogenesis in a PTHS mouse model. Labeling and quantification of progenitors and newly generated neurons at various time points during embryonic development revealed alterations affecting the dynamic of cortical progenitors since the earliest stages of cortex formation in PTHS mice. Consequently, establishment of neuronal populations and layering of the cortex were found to be altered in heterozygotes subjects at birth. Interestingly, defective layering process of pyramidal neurons was partially rescued by reintroducing TCF4 expression using focal in utero electroporation in the cerebral cortex. Coincidentally with a defective dorsal neurogenesis, we found that ventral generation of interneurons was also defective in this model, which may lead to an excitation/inhibition imbalance in PTHS. Overall, sex-dependent differences were detected with more marked effects evidenced in males compared with females. All of this contributes to expand our understanding of PTHS, paralleling the advances of research in autism spectrum disorder and further validating the PTHS mouse model as an important tool to advance preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Espinoza
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Ramón Carrazana
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Eduardo Retamal-Fredes
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile
| | - Denisse Ávila
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College of London (UCL), London, UK
| | - Fabio Papes
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ariel Ávila
- Neurodevelopmental Biology Unit, Biomedical Sciences Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción (UCSC), Concepción, Chile.
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2
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Blokland G, Maleki N, Jovicich J, Mesholam-Gately R, DeLisi L, Turner J, Shenton M, Voineskos A, Kahn R, Roffman J, Holt D, Ehrlich S, Kikinis Z, Dazzan P, Murray R, Lee J, Sim K, Lam M, de Zwarte S, Walton E, Kelly S, Picchioni M, Bramon E, Makris N, David A, Mondelli V, Reinders A, Oykhman E, Morris D, Gill M, Corvin A, Cahn W, Ho N, Liu J, Gollub R, Manoach D, Calhoun V, Sponheim S, Buka S, Cherkerzian S, Thermenos H, Dickie E, Ciufolini S, Reis Marques T, Crossley N, Purcell S, Smoller J, van Haren N, Toulopoulou T, Donohoe G, Goldstein J, Keshavan M, Petryshen T, del Re E. MIR137 polygenic risk for schizophrenia and ephrin-regulated pathway: Role in lateral ventricles and corpus callosum volume. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2024; 24:100458. [PMID: 38623146 PMCID: PMC11017057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective. Enlarged lateral ventricle (LV) volume and decreased volume in the corpus callosum (CC) are hallmarks of schizophrenia (SZ). We previously showed an inverse correlation between LV and CC volumes in SZ, with global functioning decreasing with increased LV volume. This study investigates the relationship between LV volume, CC abnormalities, and the microRNA MIR137 and its regulated genes in SZ, because of MIR137's essential role in neurodevelopment. Methods. Participants were 1224 SZ probands and 1466 unaffected controls from the GENUS Consortium. Brain MRI scans, genotype, and clinical data were harmonized across cohorts and employed in the analyses. Results. Increased LV volumes and decreased CC central, mid-anterior, and mid-posterior volumes were observed in SZ probands. The MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway was significantly associated with CC:LV ratio, explaining a significant proportion (3.42 %) of CC:LV variance, and more than for LV and CC separately. Other pathways explained variance in either CC or LV, but not both. CC:LV ratio was also positively correlated with Global Assessment of Functioning, supporting previous subsample findings. SNP-based heritability estimates were higher for CC central:LV ratio (0.79) compared to CC or LV separately. Discussion. Our results indicate that the CC:LV ratio is highly heritable, influenced in part by variation in the MIR137-regulated ephrin pathway. Findings suggest that the CC:LV ratio may be a risk indicator in SZ that correlates with global functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- G.A.M. Blokland
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine, and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Netherlands
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - N. Maleki
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - J. Jovicich
- Center for Mind/Brain Sciences (CIMeC), University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - R.I. Mesholam-Gately
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - L.E. DeLisi
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - J.A. Turner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - M.E. Shenton
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, United States
| | - A.N. Voineskos
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - R.S. Kahn
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - J.L. Roffman
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - D.J. Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - S. Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological & Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Z. Kikinis
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Psychiatry Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - P. Dazzan
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - R.M. Murray
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - J. Lee
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - K. Sim
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - M. Lam
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
- Analytical & Translational Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - S.M.C. de Zwarte
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - E. Walton
- Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - S. Kelly
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Laboratory of NeuroImaging, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - M.M. Picchioni
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Bramon
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- Mental Health Neuroscience Research Department, UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - N. Makris
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - A.S. David
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - V. Mondelli
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - A.A.T.S. Reinders
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Oykhman
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - D.W. Morris
- Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre and NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - M. Gill
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - A.P. Corvin
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - W. Cahn
- Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - N. Ho
- Institute of Mental Health, Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore
| | - J. Liu
- Genome Institute, Singapore
| | - R.L. Gollub
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - D.S. Manoach
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- MGH/HST Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - V.D. Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - S.R. Sponheim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - S.L. Buka
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - S. Cherkerzian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - H.W. Thermenos
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - E.W. Dickie
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging Genetics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - S. Ciufolini
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - T. Reis Marques
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - N.A. Crossley
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - S.M. Purcell
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - J.W. Smoller
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - N.E.M. van Haren
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - T. Toulopoulou
- Department of Psychology & National Magnetic Resonance Research Center (UMRAM), Aysel Sabuncu Brain Research Centre (ASBAM), Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - G. Donohoe
- Neuropsychiatric Genetics Research Group, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Cognitive Genetics and Cognitive Therapy Group, Neuroimaging and Cognitive Genomics (NICOG) Centre and NCBES Galway Neuroscience Centre, School of Psychology and Discipline of Biochemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
| | - J.M. Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - M.S. Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - T.L. Petryshen
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - E.C. del Re
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Massachusetts Mental Health Center Public Psychiatry Division, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA, United States
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3
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Lim Y. Transcription factors in microcephaly. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1302033. [PMID: 38094004 PMCID: PMC10716367 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1302033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Higher cognition in humans, compared to other primates, is often attributed to an increased brain size, especially forebrain cortical surface area. Brain size is determined through highly orchestrated developmental processes, including neural stem cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, lamination, arborization, and apoptosis. Disruption in these processes often results in either a small (microcephaly) or large (megalencephaly) brain. One of the key mechanisms controlling these developmental processes is the spatial and temporal transcriptional regulation of critical genes. In humans, microcephaly is defined as a condition with a significantly smaller head circumference compared to the average head size of a given age and sex group. A growing number of genes are identified as associated with microcephaly, and among them are those involved in transcriptional regulation. In this review, a subset of genes encoding transcription factors (e.g., homeobox-, basic helix-loop-helix-, forkhead box-, high mobility group box-, and zinc finger domain-containing transcription factors), whose functions are important for cortical development and implicated in microcephaly, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngshin Lim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Science Education, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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4
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Talley MJ, Nardini D, Ehrman LA, Lu QR, Waclaw RR. Distinct requirements for Tcf3 and Tcf12 during oligodendrocyte development in the mouse telencephalon. Neural Dev 2023; 18:5. [PMID: 37684687 PMCID: PMC10485956 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-023-00173-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND E-proteins encoded by Tcf3, Tcf4, and Tcf12 are class I basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) that are thought to be widely expressed during development. However, their function in the developing brain, specifically in the telencephalon remains an active area of research. Our study examines for the first time if combined loss of two E-proteins (Tcf3 and Tcf12) influence distinct cell fates and oligodendrocyte development in the mouse telencephalon. METHODS We generated Tcf3/12 double conditional knockouts (dcKOs) using Olig2Cre/+ or Olig1Cre/+ to overcome compensatory mechanisms between E-proteins and to understand the specific requirement for Tcf3 and Tcf12 in the ventral telencephalon and during oligodendrogenesis. We utilized a combination of in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence to address development of the telencephalon and oligodendrogenesis at embryonic and postnatal stages in Tcf3/12 dcKOs. RESULTS We show that the E-proteins Tcf3 and Tcf12 are expressed in progenitors of the embryonic telencephalon and throughout the oligodendrocyte lineage in the postnatal brain. Tcf3/12 dcKOs showed transient defects in progenitor cells with an enlarged medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) region which correlated with reduced generation of embryonic oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and increased expression of MGE interneuron genes. Postnatal Tcf3/12 dcKOs showed a recovery of OPCs but displayed a sustained reduction in mature oligodendrocytes (OLs). Interestingly, Tcf4 remained expressed in the dcKOs suggesting that it cannot compensate for the loss of Tcf3 and Tcf12. Generation of Tcf3/12 dcKOs with Olig1Cre/+ avoided the MGE morphology defect caused by Olig2Cre/+ but dcKOs still exhibited reduced embryonic OPCs and subsequent reduction in postnatal OLs. CONCLUSION Our data reveal that Tcf3 and Tcf12 play a role in controlling OPC versus cortical interneuron cell fate decisions in MGE progenitors in addition to playing roles in the generation of embryonic OPCs and differentiation of postnatal OLs in the oligodendrocyte lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jo Talley
- Graduate Program in Molecular and Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Diana Nardini
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Lisa A Ehrman
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA
| | - Ronald R Waclaw
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA.
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5
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Hawe JS, Saha A, Waldenberger M, Kunze S, Wahl S, Müller-Nurasyid M, Prokisch H, Grallert H, Herder C, Peters A, Strauch K, Theis FJ, Gieger C, Chambers J, Battle A, Heinig M. Network reconstruction for trans acting genetic loci using multi-omics data and prior information. Genome Med 2022; 14:125. [PMID: 36344995 PMCID: PMC9641770 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01124-9] [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: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Molecular measurements of the genome, the transcriptome, and the epigenome, often termed multi-omics data, provide an in-depth view on biological systems and their integration is crucial for gaining insights in complex regulatory processes. These data can be used to explain disease related genetic variants by linking them to intermediate molecular traits (quantitative trait loci, QTL). Molecular networks regulating cellular processes leave footprints in QTL results as so-called trans-QTL hotspots. Reconstructing these networks is a complex endeavor and use of biological prior information can improve network inference. However, previous efforts were limited in the types of priors used or have only been applied to model systems. In this study, we reconstruct the regulatory networks underlying trans-QTL hotspots using human cohort data and data-driven prior information. METHODS We devised a new strategy to integrate QTL with human population scale multi-omics data. State-of-the art network inference methods including BDgraph and glasso were applied to these data. Comprehensive prior information to guide network inference was manually curated from large-scale biological databases. The inference approach was extensively benchmarked using simulated data and cross-cohort replication analyses. Best performing methods were subsequently applied to real-world human cohort data. RESULTS Our benchmarks showed that prior-based strategies outperform methods without prior information in simulated data and show better replication across datasets. Application of our approach to human cohort data highlighted two novel regulatory networks related to schizophrenia and lean body mass for which we generated novel functional hypotheses. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that existing biological knowledge can improve the integrative analysis of networks underlying trans associations and generate novel hypotheses about regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann S Hawe
- Institute of Computational Biology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Heart Centre Munich, Department of Cardiology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.,Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Ashis Saha
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melanie Waldenberger
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Sonja Kunze
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Simone Wahl
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martina Müller-Nurasyid
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,IBE, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 81377, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine I (Cardiology), Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Holger Prokisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Harald Grallert
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute of Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christian Herder
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Konstantin Strauch
- Institute of Genetic Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics (IMBEI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.,Chair of Genetic Epidemiology, IBE, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Fabian J Theis
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.,Department of Mathematics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Christian Gieger
- Research Unit of Molecular Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,Institute of Epidemiology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany.,German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - John Chambers
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.,Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 308232, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alexis Battle
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthias Heinig
- Institute of Computational Biology, German Research Center for Environmental Health, HelmholtzZentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany. .,Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany. .,Munich Heart Association, Partner Site Munich, DZHK (German Centre for Cardiovascular Research), 10785, Berlin, Germany.
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6
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Sirp A, Shubina A, Tuvikene J, Tamberg L, Kiir CS, Kranich L, Timmusk T. Expression of alternative transcription factor 4 mRNAs and protein isoforms in the developing and adult rodent and human tissues. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:1033224. [PMID: 36407762 PMCID: PMC9666405 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.1033224] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) belongs to the class I basic helix-loop-helix family of transcription factors (also known as E-proteins) and is vital for the development of the nervous system. Aberrations in the TCF4 gene are associated with several neurocognitive disorders such as schizophrenia, intellectual disability, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome, a rare but severe autism spectrum disorder. Expression of the human TCF4 gene can produce at least 18 N-terminally distinct protein isoforms, which activate transcription with different activities and thus may vary in their function during development. We used long-read RNA-sequencing and western blot analysis combined with the analysis of publicly available short-read RNA-sequencing data to describe both the mRNA and protein expression of the many distinct TCF4 isoforms in rodent and human neural and nonneural tissues. We show that TCF4 mRNA and protein expression is much higher in the rodent brain compared to nonneural tissues. TCF4 protein expression is highest in the rodent cerebral cortex and hippocampus, where expression peaks around birth, and in the rodent cerebellum, where expression peaks about a week after birth. In human, highest TCF4 expression levels were seen in the developing brain, although some nonneural tissues displayed comparable expression levels to adult brain. In addition, we show for the first time that out of the many possible TCF4 isoforms, the main TCF4 isoforms expressed in the rodent and human brain and other tissues are TCF4-B, -C, -D, -A, and-I. Taken together, our isoform specific analysis of TCF4 expression in different tissues could be used for the generation of gene therapy applications for patients with TCF4-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Sirp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Anastassia Shubina
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Laura Tamberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Carl Sander Kiir
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Laura Kranich
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia,Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia,*Correspondence: Tõnis Timmusk,
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7
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Multifaceted investigation underlies diverse mechanisms contributing to the downregulation of Hedgehog pathway-associated genes INTU and IFT88 in lung adenocarcinoma and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:7794-7823. [PMID: 36084949 PMCID: PMC9596204 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204262] [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: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Hedgehog (Hh) signaling primarily functions in the control of mammalian embryonic development but also has roles in cancer. The Hh activation depends on ciliogenesis, a cellular process that describes outgrowth of the primary cilium from cell membrane. Ciliogenesis initiation requires a set of proteins known as planar cell polarity (PCP) effectors. Inturned (INTU) is a PCP effector that reportedly functions synergistically with Hh signaling in basal cell carcinoma, suggesting that INTU has an oncogenic role. In this study, we carried out a pan-cancer investigation on the prognostic significance of INTU in different types of cancer. We demonstrated that INTU downregulation correlated with reduced survival probabilities in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) patients. Similar expression patterns and prognostic values were identified for intraflagellar transport 88 (IFT88), another Hh pathway-associated gene. We elucidated multiple mechanisms at transcriptional, post-transcriptional and translational levels that involved transcription factor 4 and non-coding RNAs-associated regulatory networks contributing to the reduction of INTU and IFT88 levels in LUAD and UCEC samples. Taken together, this study demonstrates the prognostic significance of the Hh-related genes INTU and IFT88 in LUAD and UCEC and further delineates multifaceted mechanisms leading to INTU and IFT88 downregulation in tumor samples.
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8
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Zheng H, Wang S, Li X, Hu H. INSISTC: Incorporating network structure information for single-cell type classification. Genomics 2022; 114:110480. [PMID: 36075505 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110480] [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: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Uncovering gene regulatory mechanisms in individual cells can provide insight into cell heterogeneity and function. Recent accumulated Single-Cell RNA-Seq data have made it possible to analyze gene regulation at single-cell resolution. Understanding cell-type-specific gene regulation can assist in more accurate cell type and state identification. Computational approaches utilizing such relationships are under development. Methods pioneering in integrating gene regulatory mechanism discovery with cell-type classification encounter challenges such as determine gene regulatory relationships and incorporate gene regulatory network structure. To fill this gap, we developed INSISTC, a computational method to incorporate gene regulatory network structure information for single-cell type classification. INSISTC is capable of identifying cell-type-specific gene regulatory mechanisms while performing single-cell type classification. INSISTC demonstrated its accuracy in cell type classification and its potential for providing insight into molecular mechanisms specific to individual cells. In comparison with the alternative methods, INSISTC demonstrated its complementary performance for gene regulation interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hansi Zheng
- Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Saidi Wang
- Department of Computer Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Xiaoman Li
- Burnett School of Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
| | - Haiyan Hu
- Department of Computer Science, Genomics and Bioinformatics Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
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9
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Kim H, Gao EB, Draper A, Berens NC, Vihma H, Zhang X, Higashi-Howard A, Ritola KD, Simon JM, Kennedy AJ, Philpot BD. Rescue of behavioral and electrophysiological phenotypes in a Pitt-Hopkins syndrome mouse model by genetic restoration of Tcf4 expression. eLife 2022; 11:e72290. [PMID: 35535852 PMCID: PMC9090324 DOI: 10.7554/elife.72290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by monoallelic mutation or deletion in the transcription factor 4 (TCF4) gene. Individuals with PTHS typically present in the first year of life with developmental delay and exhibit intellectual disability, lack of speech, and motor incoordination. There are no effective treatments available for PTHS, but the root cause of the disorder, TCF4 haploinsufficiency, suggests that it could be treated by normalizing TCF4 gene expression. Here, we performed proof-of-concept viral gene therapy experiments using a conditional Tcf4 mouse model of PTHS and found that postnatally reinstating Tcf4 expression in neurons improved anxiety-like behavior, activity levels, innate behaviors, and memory. Postnatal reinstatement also partially corrected EEG abnormalities, which we characterized here for the first time, and the expression of key TCF4-regulated genes. Our results support a genetic normalization approach as a treatment strategy for PTHS, and possibly other TCF4-linked disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyojin Kim
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Eric B Gao
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Adam Draper
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Noah C Berens
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Hanna Vihma
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Xinyuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, Lewiston, United States
| | | | | | - Jeremy M Simon
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Andrew J Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, Lewiston, United States
| | - Benjamin D Philpot
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hil, Chapel Hill, United States
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10
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Papes F, Camargo AP, de Souza JS, Carvalho VMA, Szeto RA, LaMontagne E, Teixeira JR, Avansini SH, Sánchez-Sánchez SM, Nakahara TS, Santo CN, Wu W, Yao H, Araújo BMP, Velho PENF, Haddad GG, Muotri AR. Transcription Factor 4 loss-of-function is associated with deficits in progenitor proliferation and cortical neuron content. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2387. [PMID: 35501322 PMCID: PMC9061776 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29942-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription Factor 4 (TCF4) has been associated with autism, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric disorders. However, how pathological TCF4 mutations affect the human neural tissue is poorly understood. Here, we derive neural progenitor cells, neurons, and brain organoids from skin fibroblasts obtained from children with Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome carrying clinically relevant mutations in TCF4. We show that neural progenitors bearing these mutations have reduced proliferation and impaired capacity to differentiate into neurons. We identify a mechanism through which TCF4 loss-of-function leads to decreased Wnt signaling and then to diminished expression of SOX genes, culminating in reduced progenitor proliferation in vitro. Moreover, we show reduced cortical neuron content and impaired electrical activity in the patient-derived organoids, phenotypes that were rescued after correction of TCF4 expression or by pharmacological modulation of Wnt signaling. This work delineates pathological mechanisms in neural cells harboring TCF4 mutations and provides a potential target for therapeutic strategies for genetic disorders associated with this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Papes
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil.
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Medicinal Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-886, Brazil.
| | - Antonio P Camargo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Janaina S de Souza
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Vinicius M A Carvalho
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Ryan A Szeto
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Erin LaMontagne
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - José R Teixeira
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Simoni H Avansini
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Sandra M Sánchez-Sánchez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Thiago S Nakahara
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Carolina N Santo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
- Center for Medicinal Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-886, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Hang Yao
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Barbara M P Araújo
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-862, Brazil
| | - Paulo E N F Velho
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, Sao Paulo, 13083-887, Brazil
| | - Gabriel G Haddad
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, 92123, USA
| | - Alysson R Muotri
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA, 92123, USA.
- Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA) and Archealization (ArchC), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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11
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Wang Y, Liu L, Lin M. Psychiatric risk gene transcription factor 4 preferentially regulates cortical interneuron neurogenesis during early brain development. J Biomed Res 2022; 36:242-254. [PMID: 35965434 PMCID: PMC9376727 DOI: 10.7555/jbr.36.20220074] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variants within or near the transcription factor 4 gene (TCF4) are robustly implicated in psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. However, the biological pleiotropy poses considerable obstacles to dissect the potential relationship between TCF4 and those highly heterogeneous diseases. Through integrative transcriptomic analysis, we demonstrated that TCF4 is preferentially expressed in cortical interneurons during early brain development. Therefore, disruptions of interneuron development might be the underlying contribution of TCF4 perturbation to a range of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) of TCF4 on human medial ganglionic eminence-like organoids (hMGEOs) to identify genome-wide TCF4 binding sites, followed by integration of multi-omics data from human fetal brain. We observed preferential expression of the isoform TCF4-B over TCF4-A. De novo motif analysis found that the identified 5916 TCF4 binding sites are significantly enriched for the E-box sequence. The predicted TCF4 targets in general have positively correlated expression levels with TCF4 in the cortical interneurons, and are primarily involved in biological processes related to neurogenesis. Interestingly, we found that TCF4 interacts with non-bHLH proteins such as FOS/JUN, which may underlie the functional specificity of TCF4 in hMGEOs. This study highlights the regulatory role of TCF4 in interneuron development and provides compelling evidence to support the biological rationale linking TCF4 to the developing cortical interneuron and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Liya Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
| | - Mingyan Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China
- Mingyan Lin, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, 101 Longmian Avenue, Jiangning District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211166, China. Tel: +86-25-86869432, E-mail:
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12
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Sirp A, Roots K, Nurm K, Tuvikene J, Sepp M, Timmusk T. Functional consequences of TCF4 missense substitutions associated with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, mild intellectual disability, and schizophrenia. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101381. [PMID: 34748727 PMCID: PMC8648840 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor essential for neurocognitive development. The aberrations in TCF4 are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including schizophrenia, intellectual disability, and Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, an autism-spectrum disorder characterized by developmental delay. Several disease-associated missense mutations in TCF4 have been shown to interfere with TCF4 function, but for many mutations, the impact remains undefined. Here, we tested the effects of 12 functionally uncharacterized disease-associated missense mutations and variations in TCF4 using transient expression in mammalian cells, confocal imaging, in vitro DNA-binding assays, and reporter assays. We show that Pitt-Hopkins syndrome-associated missense mutations within the basic helix-loop-helix domain of TCF4 and a Rett-like syndrome-associated mutation in a transcription activation domain result in altered DNA-binding and transcriptional activity of the protein. Some of the missense variations found in schizophrenia patients slightly increase TCF4 transcriptional activity, whereas no effects were detected for missense mutations linked to mild intellectual disability. We in addition find that the outcomes of several disease-related mutations are affected by cell type, TCF4 isoform, and dimerization partner, suggesting that the effects of TCF4 mutations are context-dependent. Together with previous work, this study provides a basis for the interpretation of the functional consequences of TCF4 missense variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Sirp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kaisa Roots
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kaja Nurm
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia; Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Mari Sepp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia; Protobios LLC, Tallinn, Estonia.
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13
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Transcription factor 4 controls positioning of cortical projection neurons through regulation of cell adhesion. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6562-6577. [PMID: 33963287 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01119-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The establishment of neural circuits depends on precise neuronal positioning in the cortex, which occurs via a tightly coordinated process of neuronal differentiation, migration, and terminal localization. Deficits in this process have been implicated in several psychiatric disorders. Here, we show that the transcription factor Tcf4 controls neuronal positioning during brain development. Tcf4-deficient neurons become mispositioned in clusters when their migration to the cortical plate is complete. We reveal that Tcf4 regulates the expression of cell adhesion molecules to control neuronal positioning. Furthermore, through in vivo extracellular electrophysiology, we show that neuronal functions are disrupted after the loss of Tcf4. TCF4 mutations are strongly associated with schizophrenia and cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, which is characterized by severe intellectual disability. Thus, our results not only reveal the importance of neuronal positioning in brain development but also provide new insights into the potential mechanisms underlying neurological defects linked to TCF4 mutations.
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14
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Gassó P, Rodríguez N, Martínez-Pinteño A, Mezquida G, Ribeiro M, González-Peñas J, Zorrilla I, Martínez-Sadurni L, Rodriguez-Jimenez R, Corripio I, Sarró S, Ibáñez A, Usall J, Lobo A, Moren C, Cuesta MJ, Parellada M, González-Pinto A, Berrocoso E, Bernardo M, Mas S. A longitudinal study of gene expression in first-episode schizophrenia; exploring relapse mechanisms by co-expression analysis in peripheral blood. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:539. [PMID: 34667144 PMCID: PMC8526619 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01645-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms of relapse in first-episode schizophrenia, which limits the study of potential biomarkers. To explore relapse mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers for relapse prediction, we analyzed gene expression in peripheral blood in a cohort of first-episode schizophrenia patients with less than 5 years of evolution who had been evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period. A total of 91 participants of the 2EPs project formed the sample for baseline gene expression analysis. Of these, 67 provided biological samples at follow-up (36 after 3 years and 31 at relapse). Gene expression was assessed using the Clariom S Human Array. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify modules of co-expressed genes and to analyze their preservation after 3 years of follow-up or at relapse. Among the 25 modules identified, one module was semi-conserved at relapse (DarkTurquoise) and was enriched with risk genes for schizophrenia, showing a dysregulation of the TCF4 gene network in the module. Two modules were semi-conserved both at relapse and after 3 years of follow-up (DarkRed and DarkGrey) and were found to be biologically associated with protein modification and protein location processes. Higher expression of DarkRed genes was associated with higher risk of suffering a relapse and early appearance of relapse (p = 0.045). Our findings suggest that a dysregulation of the TCF4 network could be an important step in the biological process that leads to relapse and suggest that genes related to the ubiquitin proteosome system could be potential biomarkers of relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Gassó
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Clinical Foundations, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain
| | - N. Rodríguez
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Clinical Foundations, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A. Martínez-Pinteño
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Clinical Foundations, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain
| | - G. Mezquida
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Clinical Foundations, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.410458.c0000 0000 9635 9413Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Neuroscience Institute, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - M. Ribeiro
- grid.497559.3Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain ,grid.508840.10000 0004 7662 6114IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - J. González-Peñas
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Zorrilla
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario de Alava, Vitoria, Spain ,BIOARABA Health Research Institute, Vitoria, Spain ,grid.11480.3c0000000121671098University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain
| | - L. Martínez-Sadurni
- grid.411142.30000 0004 1767 8811Hospital del Mar Medicar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - R. Rodriguez-Jimenez
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.144756.50000 0001 1945 5329Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain ,grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667CogPsy Group, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - I. Corripio
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.413396.a0000 0004 1768 8905Psychiatry Department, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica-Sant Pau (IIB-SANT PAU), Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.7080.f0000 0001 2296 0625Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - S. Sarró
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.466668.cFIDMAG Germanes Hospitalàries Research Foundation, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.410675.10000 0001 2325 3084School of Medicine, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A. Ibáñez
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.411347.40000 0000 9248 5770Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, IRYCIS, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - J. Usall
- grid.466982.70000 0004 1771 0789Etiopatogènia i tractament dels trastorns mentals greus (MERITT) Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A. Lobo
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.11205.370000 0001 2152 8769Department of Medicine and Psychiatry, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain ,grid.488737.70000000463436020Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - C. Moren
- grid.10403.36Cellex, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona-Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Barcelona, 08036 Spain ,grid.512890.7Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, 28029 Spain
| | - M. J. Cuesta
- grid.497559.3Department of Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain ,grid.508840.10000 0004 7662 6114IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - M. Parellada
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.4795.f0000 0001 2157 7667Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, IiSGM, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
| | - A. González-Pinto
- grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario de Alava, Vitoria, Spain ,BIOARABA Health Research Institute, Vitoria, Spain ,grid.11480.3c0000000121671098University of the Basque Country, Vitoria, Spain
| | - E. Berrocoso
- grid.7759.c0000000103580096Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain ,grid.411342.10000 0004 1771 1175Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
| | - M. Bernardo
- grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.410458.c0000 0000 9635 9413Barcelona Clínic Schizophrenia Unit (BCSU), Neuroscience Institute, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain ,grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - S. Mas
- grid.5841.80000 0004 1937 0247Department of Clinical Foundations, Pharmacology Unit, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain ,grid.10403.36Institut d’investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPs), Barcelona, Spain ,grid.469673.90000 0004 5901 7501Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
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15
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Disordered breathing in a Pitt-Hopkins syndrome model involves Phox2b-expressing parafacial neurons and aberrant Nav1.8 expression. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5962. [PMID: 34645823 PMCID: PMC8514575 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26263-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) is a rare autism spectrum-like disorder characterized by intellectual disability, developmental delays, and breathing problems involving episodes of hyperventilation followed by apnea. PTHS is caused by functional haploinsufficiency of the gene encoding transcription factor 4 (Tcf4). Despite the severity of this disease, mechanisms contributing to PTHS behavioral abnormalities are not well understood. Here, we show that a Tcf4 truncation (Tcf4tr/+) mouse model of PTHS exhibits breathing problems similar to PTHS patients. This behavioral deficit is associated with selective loss of putative expiratory parafacial neurons and compromised function of neurons in the retrotrapezoid nucleus that regulate breathing in response to tissue CO2/H+. We also show that central Nav1.8 channels can be targeted pharmacologically to improve respiratory function at the cellular and behavioral levels in Tcf4tr/+ mice, thus establishing Nav1.8 as a high priority target with therapeutic potential in PTHS. Disordered breathing is a hallmark of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), yet little is known regarding how loss of Tcf4 (gene associated with PTHS) affects development and function of respiratory neurons. Here, the authors show that parafacial respiratory neurons are selectively disrupted in a mouse model of PTHS, and central Nav1.8 channels can be targeted to improve PTHS-associated behavior abnormalities.
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16
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Sarkar D, Shariq M, Dwivedi D, Krishnan N, Naumann R, Bhalla US, Ghosh HS. Adult brain neurons require continual expression of the schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 for structural and functional integrity. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:494. [PMID: 34564703 PMCID: PMC8464606 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01618-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The schizophrenia-risk gene Tcf4 has been widely studied in the context of brain development using mouse models of haploinsufficiency, in utero knockdown and embryonic deletion. However, Tcf4 continues to be abundantly expressed in adult brain neurons where its functions remain unknown. Given the importance of Tcf4 in psychiatric diseases, we investigated its role in adult neurons using cell-specific deletion and genetic tracing in adult animals. Acute loss of Tcf4 in adult excitatory neurons in vivo caused hyperexcitability and increased dendritic complexity of neurons, effects that were distinct from previously observed effects in embryonic-deficiency models. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis of genetically traced adult-deleted FACS-sorted Tcf4-knockout neurons revealed that Tcf4 targets in adult neurons are distinct from those in the embryonic brain. Meta-analysis of the adult-deleted neuronal transcriptome from our study with the existing datasets of embryonic Tcf4 deficiencies revealed plasma membrane and ciliary genes to underlie Tcf4-mediated structure-function regulation specifically in adult neurons. The profound changes both in the structure and excitability of adult neurons upon acute loss of Tcf4 indicates that proactive regulation of membrane-related processes underlies the functional and structural integrity of adult neurons. These findings not only provide insights for the functional relevance of continual expression of a psychiatric disease-risk gene in the adult brain but also identify previously unappreciated gene networks underpinning mature neuronal regulation during the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipannita Sarkar
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Mohammad Shariq
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India ,grid.502290.cThe University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, Bangalore, 560064 India
| | - Deepanjali Dwivedi
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Nirmal Krishnan
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Ronald Naumann
- grid.419537.d0000 0001 2113 4567MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, 01307 Germany
| | - Upinder Singh Bhalla
- grid.22401.350000 0004 0502 9283National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065 India
| | - Hiyaa Singhee Ghosh
- National Center for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, 560065, India.
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17
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Isoform-Specific Reduction of the Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor TCF4 Levels in Huntington's Disease. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0197-21.2021. [PMID: 34518368 PMCID: PMC8519306 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0197-21.2021] [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: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder with onset of characteristic motor symptoms at midlife, preceded by subtle cognitive and behavioral disturbances. Transcriptional dysregulation emerges early in the disease course and is considered central to HD pathogenesis. Using wild-type (wt) and HD knock-in mouse striatal cell lines we observed a HD genotype-dependent reduction in the protein levels of transcription factor 4 (TCF4), a member of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family with critical roles in brain development and function. We characterized mouse Tcf4 gene structure and expression of alternative mRNAs and protein isoforms in cell-based models of HD, and in four different brain regions of male transgenic HD mice (R6/1) from young to mature adulthood. The largest decrease in the levels of TCF4 at mRNA and specific protein isoforms were detected in the R6/1 mouse hippocampus. Translating this finding to human disease, we found reduced expression of long TCF4 isoforms in the postmortem hippocampal CA1 area and in the cerebral cortex of HD patients. Additionally, TCF4 protein isoforms showed differential synergism with the proneural transcription factor ASCL1 in activating reporter gene transcription in hippocampal and cortical cultured neurons. Induction of neuronal activity increased these synergistic effects in hippocampal but not in cortical neurons, suggesting brain region-dependent differences in TCF4 functions. Collectively, this study demonstrates isoform-specific changes in TCF4 expression in HD that could contribute to the progressive impairment of transcriptional regulation and neuronal function in this disease.
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18
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Wittmann MT, Katada S, Sock E, Kirchner P, Ekici AB, Wegner M, Nakashima K, Lie DC, Reis A. scRNA sequencing uncovers a TCF4-dependent transcription factor network regulating commissure development in mouse. Development 2021; 148:269257. [PMID: 34184026 PMCID: PMC8327186 DOI: 10.1242/dev.196022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a crucial regulator of neurodevelopment and has been linked to the pathogenesis of autism, intellectual disability and schizophrenia. As a class I bHLH transcription factor (TF), it is assumed that TCF4 exerts its neurodevelopmental functions through dimerization with proneural class II bHLH TFs. Here, we aim to identify TF partners of TCF4 in the control of interhemispheric connectivity formation. Using a new bioinformatic strategy integrating TF expression levels and regulon activities from single cell RNA-sequencing data, we find evidence that TCF4 interacts with non-bHLH TFs and modulates their transcriptional activity in Satb2+ intercortical projection neurons. Notably, this network comprises regulators linked to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders, e.g. FOXG1, SOX11 and BRG1. In support of the functional interaction of TCF4 with non-bHLH TFs, we find that TCF4 and SOX11 biochemically interact and cooperatively control commissure formation in vivo, and regulate the transcription of genes implicated in this process. In addition to identifying new candidate interactors of TCF4 in neurodevelopment, this study illustrates how scRNA-Seq data can be leveraged to predict TF networks in neurodevelopmental processes. Summary: Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies interactions of TCF4 with non-bHLH transcription factors linked to neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disease in the regulation of interhemispheric projection neuron development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Theres Wittmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sayako Katada
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Elisabeth Sock
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Philipp Kirchner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Arif B Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Wegner
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kinichi Nakashima
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Dieter Chichung Lie
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - André Reis
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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19
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Santos-Terra J, Deckmann I, Fontes-Dutra M, Schwingel GB, Bambini-Junior V, Gottfried C. Transcription factors in neurodevelopmental and associated psychiatric disorders: A potential convergence for genetic and environmental risk factors. Int J Dev Neurosci 2021; 81:545-578. [PMID: 34240460 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous and highly prevalent group of psychiatric conditions marked by impairments in the nervous system. Their onset occurs during gestation, and the alterations are observed throughout the postnatal life. Although many genetic and environmental risk factors have been described in this context, the interactions between them challenge the understanding of the pathways associated with NDDs. Transcription factors (TFs)-a group of over 1,600 proteins that can interact with DNA, regulating gene expression through modulation of RNA synthesis-represent a point of convergence for different risk factors. In addition, TFs organize critical processes like angiogenesis, blood-brain barrier formation, myelination, neuronal migration, immune activation, and many others in a time and location-dependent way. In this review, we summarize important TF alterations in NDD and associated disorders, along with specific impairments observed in animal models, and, finally, establish hypotheses to explain how these proteins may be critical mediators in the context of genome-environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlio Santos-Terra
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK
| | - Iohanna Deckmann
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK
| | - Mellanie Fontes-Dutra
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK
| | - Gustavo Brum Schwingel
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK
| | - Victorio Bambini-Junior
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Carmem Gottfried
- Translational Research Group in Autism Spectrum Disorders (GETTEA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,National Institute of Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT-NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,School of Pharmacology and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, Autism Wellbeing And Research Development (AWARD) Institute, BR-UK-CA, Preston, UK
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20
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Chen HY, Bohlen JF, Maher BJ. Molecular and Cellular Function of Transcription Factor 4 in Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:159-167. [PMID: 34134113 DOI: 10.1159/000516666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4, also known as ITF2 or E2-2) is a type I basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Autosomal dominant mutations in TCF4 cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), a rare syndromic form of autism spectrum disorder. In this review, we provide an update on the progress regarding our understanding of TCF4 function at the molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral levels with a focus on phenotypes and therapeutic interventions. We examine upstream and downstream regulatory networks associated with TCF4 and discuss a range of in vitro and in vivo data with the aim of understanding emerging TCF4-specific mechanisms relevant for disease pathophysiology. In conclusion, we provide comments about exciting future avenues of research that may provide insights into potential new therapeutic targets for PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Ying Chen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA,
| | - Joseph F Bohlen
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Brady J Maher
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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21
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Bartlett T. Fusion of single-cell transcriptome and DNA-binding data, for genomic network inference in cortical development. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:301. [PMID: 34088262 PMCID: PMC8176738 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-04201-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Network models are well-established as very useful computational-statistical tools in cell biology. However, a genomic network model based only on gene expression data can, by definition, only infer gene co-expression networks. Hence, in order to infer gene regulatory patterns, it is necessary to also include data related to binding of regulatory factors to DNA. RESULTS We propose a new dynamic genomic network model, for inferring patterns of genomic regulatory influence in dynamic processes such as development. Our model fuses experiment-specific gene expression data with publicly available DNA-binding data. The method we propose is computationally efficient, and can be applied to genome-wide data with tens of thousands of transcripts. Thus, our method is well suited for use as an exploratory tool for genome-wide data. We apply our method to data from human fetal cortical development, and our findings confirm genomic regulatory patterns which are recognised as being fundamental to neuronal development. CONCLUSIONS Our method provides a mathematical/computational toolbox which, when coupled with targeted experiments, will reveal and confirm important new functional genomic regulatory processes in mammalian development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Bartlett
- University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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22
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Integrative analysis identifies bHLH transcription factors as contributors to Parkinson's disease risk mechanisms. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3502. [PMID: 33568722 PMCID: PMC7875985 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83087-2] [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: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple genetic risk signals for Parkinson’s disease (PD), however translation into underlying biological mechanisms remains scarce. Genomic functional annotations of neurons provide new resources that may be integrated into analyses of GWAS findings. Altered transcription factor binding plays an important role in human diseases. Insight into transcriptional networks involved in PD risk mechanisms may thus improve our understanding of pathogenesis. We analysed overlap between genome-wide association signals in PD and open chromatin in neurons across multiple brain regions, finding a significant enrichment in the superior temporal cortex. The involvement of transcriptional networks was explored in neurons of the superior temporal cortex based on the location of candidate transcription factor motifs identified by two de novo motif discovery methods. Analyses were performed in parallel, both finding that PD risk variants significantly overlap with open chromatin regions harboring motifs of basic Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factors. Our findings show that cortical neurons are likely mediators of genetic risk for PD. The concentration of PD risk variants at sites of open chromatin targeted by members of the bHLH transcription factor family points to an involvement of these transcriptional networks in PD risk mechanisms.
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23
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Zhang Y, Cai Y, Wang Y, Deng X, Zhao Y, Zhang Y, Xie Y. Survival control of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells requires the transcription factor 4 during olfactory bulb development. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:91. [PMID: 33462220 PMCID: PMC7813844 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03371-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
A proper number of oligodendrocytes in the nerve system is essential for neuronal functions. In the olfactory bulb (OB), enriched oligodendrocytes are crucial for olfactory information processing. However, how the precise number of oligodendrocytes in the OB is regulated remains elusive. Here we identified that the transcription factor 4 (Tcf4)-mediated cell death is essential for generating an appropriate number of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and thereby oligodendrocytes in the OB. We showed that Nkx2.1-positive progenitors in the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) and anterior entopeduncular area (AEP) provide the first source of OPCs in the OB. Conditional depletion of Tcf4 leads to an increase of OPCs in the OB, which is mediated by the suppression of programmed cell death. Furthermore, we showed that Tcf4 mediated OPC survival is cell-autonomous by transplantation assay. Mechanistically, we identified Bax/Bak as a potential key pathway to promote OPC elimination during OB development. Depletion of Bax/Bak in Nkx2.1 lineage results in an increase of OPCs in the OB. Mutations in TCF4 causes Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. Thus, our findings reveal an important intrinsic mechanism underlying the survival control of OPCs in the OB and provide new insights into the pathogenesis of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilan Zhang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yuqun Cai
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yafei Wang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Xin Deng
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yifan Zhao
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory for Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443School of Public Health/MOE Key Laboratory for Public Health Safety, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
| | - Yunli Xie
- grid.8547.e0000 0001 0125 2443Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032 China
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24
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Xie X, Li L, Wu H, Hou F, Chen Y, Xue Q, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Gong J, Song R. Comprehensive Integrative Analyses Identify TIGD5 rs75547282 as a Risk Variant for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res 2021; 14:631-644. [PMID: 33393181 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Although recent genome-wide association studies have identified risk loci that strongly associates with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), how to pinpoint the causal genes remains a challenge. We aimed to pinpoint the potential causal genes and explore the possible susceptibility and mechanism. A convergent functional genomics (CFG) method was used to prioritize the candidate genes by combining lines of evidence, including Sherlock analysis, spatio-temporal expression patterns, expression analysis, protein-protein interactions, co-expression and association with brain structure. A higher score in the CFG approach suggested that more evidence supported this gene as an ASD risk gene. We screened genes with higher CFG scores for candidate functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A genotyping experiment (602 ASD children and 604 healthy sex-matched children) and the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay were followed to validate the effects of SNPs. We identified three genes (MAPT, ZNF285, and TIGD5) as candidate causal genes using the CFG approach. The genotyping experiment showed that TIGD5 rs75547282 was associated with an increased risk of ASD under the dominant model (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.09-1.72, P = 0.006) though the statistical power was limited (5.2%). The T allele of rs75547282 activated the expression of TIGD5 compared with the C allele in the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Our study indicates that such comprehensive integrative analyses may be an effective way to explore promising ASD susceptibility variants and needs to be further investigated in future research. Genotyping experiments should, however, be based on a larger population sample to increase statistical power. LAY SUMMARY: We set out to pinpoint the potential causal genes of ASD and explore the possible susceptibility and mechanism by combining lines of evidence from different analyses. Our results show that TIGD5 rs75547282 is associated with the risk of ASD in the Han Chinese population. In addition, a similar framework to seek promising ASD risk variants could be further investigated in future research Autism Res 2021, 14: 631-644. © 2021 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Xie
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Li
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Hou
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanlin Chen
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qi Xue
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA
| | - Jianhua Gong
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ranran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE (Ministry of Education) Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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25
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Teixeira JR, Szeto RA, Carvalho VMA, Muotri AR, Papes F. Transcription factor 4 and its association with psychiatric disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:19. [PMID: 33414364 PMCID: PMC7791034 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01138-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human transcription factor 4 gene (TCF4) encodes a helix-loop-helix transcription factor widely expressed throughout the body and during neural development. Mutations in TCF4 cause a devastating autism spectrum disorder known as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome, characterized by a range of aberrant phenotypes including severe intellectual disability, absence of speech, delayed cognitive and motor development, and dysmorphic features. Moreover, polymorphisms in TCF4 have been associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric and neurological conditions. Details about how TCF4 genetic variants are linked to these diseases and the role of TCF4 during neural development are only now beginning to emerge. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the functions of TCF4 and its protein products at both the cellular and organismic levels, as well as a description of pathophysiological mechanisms associated with this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- José R. Teixeira
- grid.411087.b0000 0001 0723 2494Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo Brazil
| | - Ryan A. Szeto
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Vinicius M. A. Carvalho
- grid.411087.b0000 0001 0723 2494Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo Brazil ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Alysson R. Muotri
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA ,grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Center for Academic Research and Training in Anthropogeny (CARTA), University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA USA
| | - Fabio Papes
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. .,Department of Pediatrics/Rady Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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26
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Tsang B, Pritišanac I, Scherer SW, Moses AM, Forman-Kay JD. Phase Separation as a Missing Mechanism for Interpretation of Disease Mutations. Cell 2020; 183:1742-1756. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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27
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Braun K, Häberle BM, Wittmann MT, Lie DC. Enriched environment ameliorates adult hippocampal neurogenesis deficits in Tcf4 haploinsufficient mice. BMC Neurosci 2020; 21:50. [PMID: 33228529 PMCID: PMC7684915 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-020-00602-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders such as intellectual disability, Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS), autism, and schizophrenia. Recent work demonstrated that TCF4 participates in the control of a wide range of neurodevelopmental processes in mammalian nervous system development including neural precursor proliferation, timing of differentiation, migration, dendritogenesis and synapse formation. TCF4 is highly expressed in the adult hippocampal dentate gyrus – one of the few brain regions where neural stem / progenitor cells generate new functional neurons throughout life. Results We here investigated whether TCF4 haploinsufficiency, which in humans causes non-syndromic forms of intellectual disability and PTHS, affects adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a process that is essential for hippocampal plasticity in rodents and potentially in humans. Young adult Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice showed a major reduction in the level of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which was at least in part caused by lower stem/progenitor cell numbers and impaired maturation and survival of adult-generated neurons. Interestingly, housing in an enriched environment was sufficient to enhance maturation and survival of new neurons and to substantially augment neurogenesis levels in Tcf4 heterozygote knockout mice. Conclusion The present findings indicate that haploinsufficiency for the intellectual disability- and PTHS-linked transcription factor TCF4 not only affects embryonic neurodevelopment but impedes neurogenesis in the hippocampus of adult mice. These findings suggest that TCF4 haploinsufficiency may have a negative impact on hippocampal function throughout adulthood by impeding hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Braun
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Häberle
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marie-Theres Wittmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - D Chichung Lie
- Institute of Biochemistry, Emil Fischer Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054, Erlangen, Germany.
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28
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Sparber P, Filatova A, Anisimova I, Markova T, Voinova V, Chuhrova A, Tabakov V, Skoblov M. Various haploinsufficiency mechanisms in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. Eur J Med Genet 2020; 63:104088. [PMID: 33069932 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2020.104088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Pitt-Hopkins syndrome is a rare neurodevelopment disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of the transcription factor 4 (TCF4). The main clinical symptoms of Pitt-Hopkins syndrome are severe development delay, intellectual disability, characteristic facial phenotype, and breathing abnormalities, including episodic hyperventilation. Different pathogenic variants can lead to Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. The most common are large deletions at 18q21 encompassing the TCF4 gene and frameshifting/nonsense single nucleotide variants. However, variants in noncoding regions can also lead to Pitt-Hopkins syndrome by disrupting the normal pre-mRNA splicing machinery. Here we describe three patients with Pitt-Hopkins syndrome caused by a large deletion in chromosome 18, a nonsense variant, and a novel variant located in intron 11 of TCF4 c.922+5G > A. Using RT-PCR analysis and minigene splicing assay we showed that this intronic variant leads to exon 11 skipping resulting in a formation of a premature stop codon. To our knowledge, this is the first functional annotation of a splicing variant in Pitt-Hopkins syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sparber
- Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia.
| | | | | | | | - Viktoria Voinova
- Veltischev Research and Clinical Institute for Pediatrics Pirogov RNRMU, Moscow, Russia
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29
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Modulation of cognition and neuronal plasticity in gain- and loss-of-function mouse models of the schizophrenia risk gene Tcf4. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:343. [PMID: 33037178 PMCID: PMC7547694 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01026-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor TCF4 was confirmed in several large genome-wide association studies as one of the most significant schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility genes. Transgenic mice moderately overexpressing Tcf4 in forebrain (Tcf4tg) display deficits in fear memory and sensorimotor gating. As second hit, we exposed Tcf4tg animals to isolation rearing (IR), chronic social defeat (SD), enriched environment (EE), or handling control (HC) conditions and examined mice with heterozygous deletion of the exon 4 (Tcf4Ex4δ+/-) to unravel gene-dosage effects. We applied multivariate statistics for behavioral profiling and demonstrate that IR and SD cause strong cognitive deficits of Tcf4tg mice, whereas EE masked the genetic vulnerability. We observed enhanced long-term depression in Tcf4tg mice and enhanced long-term potentiation in Tcf4Ex4δ+/- mice indicating specific gene-dosage effects. Tcf4tg mice showed higher density of immature spines during development as assessed by STED nanoscopy and proteomic analyses of synaptosomes revealed concurrently increased levels of proteins involved in synaptic function and metabolic pathways. We conclude that environmental stress and Tcf4 misexpression precipitate cognitive deficits in 2-hit mouse models of relevance for schizophrenia.
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30
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Tamberg L, Jaago M, Säälik K, Sirp A, Tuvikene J, Shubina A, Kiir CS, Nurm K, Sepp M, Timmusk T, Palgi M. Daughterless, the Drosophila orthologue of TCF4, is required for associative learning and maintenance of the synaptic proteome. Dis Model Mech 2020; 13:dmm042747. [PMID: 32641419 PMCID: PMC7406316 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.042747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian transcription factor 4 (TCF4) has been linked to schizophrenia and intellectual disabilities, such as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS). Here, we show that similarly to mammalian TCF4, fruit fly orthologue Daughterless (Da) is expressed widely in the Drosophila brain. Furthermore, silencing of da, using several central nervous system-specific Gal4 driver lines, impairs appetitive associative learning of the larvae and leads to decreased levels of the synaptic proteins Synapsin (Syn) and Discs large 1 (Dlg1), suggesting the involvement of Da in memory formation. Here, we demonstrate that Syn and dlg1 are direct target genes of Da in adult Drosophila heads, as Da binds to the regulatory regions of these genes and the modulation of Da levels alter the levels of Syn and dlg1 mRNA. Silencing of da also affects negative geotaxis of the adult flies, suggesting the impairment of locomotor function. Overall, our findings suggest that Da regulates Drosophila larval memory and adult negative geotaxis, possibly via its synaptic target genes Syn and dlg1 These behavioural phenotypes can be further used as a PTHS model to screen for therapeutics.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tamberg
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mariliis Jaago
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Kristi Säälik
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Alex Sirp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Jürgen Tuvikene
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Anastassia Shubina
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Carl Sander Kiir
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Kaja Nurm
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mari Sepp
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Tõnis Timmusk
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Protobios LLC, Mäealuse 4, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Mari Palgi
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
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31
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Kim H, Berens NC, Ochandarena NE, Philpot BD. Region and Cell Type Distribution of TCF4 in the Postnatal Mouse Brain. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:42. [PMID: 32765228 PMCID: PMC7379912 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 is a class I basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor regulating gene expression. Altered TCF4 gene expression has been linked to non-syndromic intellectual disability, schizophrenia, and a severe neurodevelopmental disorder known as Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. An understanding of the cell types expressing TCF4 protein in the mouse brain is needed to help identify potential pathophysiological mechanisms and targets for therapeutic delivery in TCF4-linked disorders. Here we developed a novel green fluorescent protein reporter mouse to visualize TCF4-expressing cells throughout the brain. Using this TCF4 reporter mouse, we observed prominent expression of TCF4 in the pallial region and cerebellum of the postnatal brain. At the cellular level, both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons express TCF4 in the cortex and hippocampus, while only a subset of GABAergic interneurons express TCF4 in the striatum. Among glial cell groups, TCF4 is present in astrocytes and immature and mature oligodendrocytes. In the cerebellum, cells in the granule and molecular layer express TCF4. Our findings greatly extend our knowledge of the spatiotemporal and cell type-specific expression patterns of TCF4 in the brain, and hence, lay the groundwork to better understand TCF4-linked neurological disorders. Any effort to restore TCF4 functions through small molecule or genetic therapies should target these brain regions and cell groups to best recapitulate TCF4 expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyojin Kim
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Noah C. Berens
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Nicole E. Ochandarena
- MD-Ph.D. Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Benjamin D. Philpot
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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32
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Mesman S, Bakker R, Smidt MP. Tcf4 is required for correct brain development during embryogenesis. Mol Cell Neurosci 2020; 106:103502. [PMID: 32474139 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2020.103502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Tcf4 has been linked to autism, schizophrenia, and Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome (PTHS) in humans, suggesting a role for Tcf4 in brain development and importantly cortical development. However, the mechanisms behind its role in disease and brain development are still elusive. We provide evidence that Tcf4 has a critical function in the differentiation of cortical regions, corpus callosum and anterior commissure formation, and development of the hippocampus during murine embryonic development. In the present study, we show that Tcf4 is expressed throughout the developing brain at the peak of neurogenesis. Deletion of Tcf4 results in mis-specification of the cortical neurons, malformation of the corpus callosum and anterior commissure, and hypoplasia of the hippocampus. Furthermore, the Tcf4 mutant shows an absence of midline remodeling, underlined by the loss of GFAP-expressing midline glia in the indusium griseum and callosal wedge and midline zipper glia in the telencephalic midline. RNA-sequencing on E14.5 cortex material shows that Tcf4 functions as a transcriptional activator and loss of Tcf4 results in downregulation of genes linked to neurogenesis and neuronal maturation. Furthermore, many genes that are differentially expressed after Tcf4 ablation are linked to other neurodevelopmental disorders. Taken together, we show that correct brain development and neuronal differentiation are severely affected in Tcf4 mutants, phenocopying morphological brain defects detected in PTHS patients. The presented data identifies new leads to understand the mechanisms behind brain and specifically cortical development and can provide novel insights in developmental mechanisms underlying human brain defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Mesman
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, FNWI University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Reinier Bakker
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, FNWI University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marten P Smidt
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, FNWI University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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33
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Schoof M, Hellwig M, Harrison L, Holdhof D, Lauffer MC, Niesen J, Virdi S, Indenbirken D, Schüller U. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor TCF4 impacts brain architecture as well as neuronal morphology and differentiation. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 51:2219-2235. [PMID: 31919899 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Germline mutations in the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 4 (TCF4) cause the Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), a developmental disorder with severe intellectual disability. Here, we report findings from a new mouse model with a central nervous system-specific truncation of Tcf4 leading to severe phenotypic abnormalities. Furthermore, it allows the study of a complete TCF4 knockout in adult mice, circumventing early postnatal lethality of previously published mouse models. Our data suggest that a TCF4 truncation results in an impaired hippocampal architecture affecting both the dentate gyrus as well as the cornu ammonis. In the cerebral cortex, loss of TCF4 generates a severe differentiation delay of neural precursors. Furthermore, neuronal morphology was critically affected with shortened apical dendrites and significantly increased branching of dendrites. Our data provide novel information about the role of Tcf4 in brain development and may help to understand the mechanisms leading to intellectual deficits observed in patients suffering from PTHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Schoof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malte Hellwig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luke Harrison
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlen C Lauffer
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Judith Niesen
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sanamjeet Virdi
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Research Institute, Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.,Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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34
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Hazelbaker DZ, Beccard A, Angelini G, Mazzucato P, Messana A, Lam D, Eggan K, Barrett LE. A multiplexed gRNA piggyBac transposon system facilitates efficient induction of CRISPRi and CRISPRa in human pluripotent stem cells. Sci Rep 2020; 10:635. [PMID: 31959800 PMCID: PMC6971260 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57500-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene interference (CRISPRi) and activation (CRISPRa) approaches hold promise for functional gene studies and genome-wide screens in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). However, in contrast to CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease approaches, the efficiency of CRISPRi/a depends on continued expression of the dead Cas9 (dCas9) effector and guide RNA (gRNA), which can vary substantially depending on transgene design and delivery. Here, we design and generate new fluorescently labeled piggyBac (PB) vectors to deliver uniform and sustained expression of multiplexed gRNAs. In addition, we generate hPSC lines harboring AAVS1-integrated, inducible and fluorescent dCas9-KRAB and dCas9-VPR transgenes to allow for accurate quantification and tracking of cells that express both the dCas9 effectors and gRNAs. We then employ these systems to target the TCF4 gene in hPSCs and assess expression levels of the dCas9 effectors, individual gRNAs and targeted gene. We also assess the performance of our PB system for single gRNA delivery, confirming its utility for library format applications. Collectively, our results provide proof-of-principle application of a stable, multiplexed PB gRNA delivery system that can be widely exploited to further enable genome engineering studies in hPSCs. Paired with diverse CRISPR tools including our dual fluorescence CRISPRi/a cell lines, this system can facilitate functional dissection of individual genes and pathways as well as larger-scale screens for studies of development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dane Z Hazelbaker
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Amanda Beccard
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Gabriella Angelini
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Patrizia Mazzucato
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Angelica Messana
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Daisy Lam
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kevin Eggan
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Lindy E Barrett
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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35
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Wang Y, Lu Z, Zhang Y, Cai Y, Yun D, Tang T, Cai Z, Wang C, Zhang Y, Fang F, Yang Z, Behnisch T, Xie Y. Transcription Factor 4 Safeguards Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus Development by Regulating Neural Progenitor Migration. Cereb Cortex 2019; 30:3102-3115. [PMID: 31845732 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampal formation plays essential roles in learning and memory. Defective DG development is associated with neurological disorders. Here, we show that transcription factor 4 (Tcf4) is essential for DG development. Tcf4 expression is elevated in neural progenitors of the dentate neuroepithelium in the developing mouse brain. We demonstrate that conditional disruption of Tcf4 in the dentate neuroepithelium leads to abnormal neural progenitor migration guided by disorganized radial glial fibers, which further leads to hypoplasia in the DG. Moreover, we reveal that Wnt7b is a key downstream effector of Tcf4 in regulating neural progenitor migration. Behavioral analysis shows that disruption of integrity of the DG impairs the social memory highlighting the importance of proper development of the DG. These results reveal a critical role for Tcf4 in regulating DG development. As mutations in TCF4 cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS) characterized by severe intellectual disability, our data also potentially provide insights into the basis of neurological defects linked to TCF4 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafei Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhiheng Lu
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yilan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuqun Cai
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Di Yun
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Tianxiang Tang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zheping Cai
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chunyang Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yandong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fang Fang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhengang Yang
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Thomas Behnisch
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yunli Xie
- Department of Anesthesia, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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The subcellular localization of bHLH transcription factor TCF4 is mediated by multiple nuclear localization and nuclear export signals. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15629. [PMID: 31666615 PMCID: PMC6821749 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52239-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Transcription factor 4 (TCF4) is a class I basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor which regulates the neurogenesis and specialization of cells. TCF4 also plays an important role in the development and functioning of the immune system. Additionally, TCF4 regulates the development of Sertoli cells and pontine nucleus neurons, myogenesis, melanogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The ability of transcription factors to fulfil their function often depends on their intracellular trafficking between the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell. The trafficking is regulated by specific sequences, i.e. the nuclear localization signal (NLS) and the nuclear export signal (NES). We performed research on the TCF4 trafficking regulating sequences by mapping and detailed characterization of motifs potentially acting as the NLS or NES. We demonstrate that the bHLH domain of TCF4 contains an NLS that overlaps two NESs. The results of in silico analyses show high conservation of the sequences, especially in the area of the NLS and NESs. This high conservation is not only between mouse and human TCF4, but also between TCF4 and other mammalian E proteins, indicating the importance of these sequences for the functioning of bHLH class I transcription factors.
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Xie X, Hou F, Li L, Chen Y, Liu L, Luo X, Gu H, Li X, Zhang J, Gong J, Song R. Polymorphisms of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptor-Related Genes and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Chinese Population. Psychiatry Investig 2019; 16:379-385. [PMID: 31132842 PMCID: PMC6539266 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2019.02.26.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of GRIK2 and NLGN1 with autism spectrum disorder in a Chinese population. METHODS We performed spatio-temporal expression analysis of GRIK2 and NLGN1 in the developing prefrontal cortex, and examined the expression of the genes in ASD cases and healthy controls using the GSE38322 data set. Following, we performed a case-control study in a Chinese population. RESULTS The analysis using the publicly available expression data showed that GRIK2 and NLGN1 may have a role in the development of human brain and contribute to the risk of ASD. Later genetic analysis in the Chinese population showed that the GRIK2 rs6922753 for the T allele, TC genotype and dominant model played a significant protective role in ASD susceptibility (respectively: OR=0.840, p=0.023; OR=0.802, p=0.038; OR=0.791, p=0.020). The NLGN1 rs9855544 for the G allele and GG genotype played a significant protective role in ASD susceptibility (respectively: OR=0.844, p=0.019; OR=0.717, p=0.022). After adjusting p values, the statistical significance was lost (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Our results suggested that GRIK2 rs6922753 and NLGN1 rs9855544 might not confer susceptibility to ASD in the Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyan Xie
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Fang Hou
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Li
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanlin Chen
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lingfei Liu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiu Luo
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Huaiting Gu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiajia Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, USA
| | - Jianhua Gong
- Maternity and Children Health Care Hospital of Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ranran Song
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Hellwig M, Lauffer MC, Bockmayr M, Spohn M, Merk DJ, Harrison L, Ahlfeld J, Kitowski A, Neumann JE, Ohli J, Holdhof D, Niesen J, Schoof M, Kool M, Kraus C, Zweier C, Holmberg D, Schüller U. TCF4 (E2-2) harbors tumor suppressive functions in SHH medulloblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 2019; 137:657-673. [PMID: 30830316 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-019-01982-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The TCF4 gene encodes for the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 4 (TCF4), which plays an important role in the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Haploinsufficiency of TCF4 was found to cause Pitt-Hopkins syndrome (PTHS), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. Recently, the screening of a large cohort of medulloblastoma (MB), a highly aggressive embryonal brain tumor, revealed almost 20% of adult patients with MB of the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) subtype carrying somatic TCF4 mutations. Interestingly, many of these mutations have previously been detected as germline mutations in patients with PTHS. We show here that overexpression of wild-type TCF4 in vitro significantly suppresses cell proliferation in MB cells, whereas mutant TCF4 proteins do not to the same extent. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed significant upregulation of multiple well-known tumor suppressors upon expression of wild-type TCF4. In vivo, a prenatal knockout of Tcf4 in mice caused a significant increase in apoptosis accompanied by a decreased proliferation and failed migration of cerebellar granule neuron precursor cells (CGNP), which are thought to be the cells of origin for SHH MB. In contrast, postnatal in vitro and in vivo knockouts of Tcf4 with and without an additional constitutive activation of the SHH pathway led to significantly increased proliferation of CGNP or MB cells. Finally, publicly available data from human MB show that relatively low expression levels of TCF4 significantly correlate with a worse clinical outcome. These results not only point to time-specific roles of Tcf4 during cerebellar development but also suggest a functional linkage between TCF4 mutations and the formation of SHH MB, proposing that TCF4 acts as a tumor suppressor during postnatal stages of cerebellar development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malte Hellwig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marlen C Lauffer
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michael Bockmayr
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Spohn
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Bioinformatics Core, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel J Merk
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Luke Harrison
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Research Unit Neurobiology of Diabetes, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Julia Ahlfeld
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Annabel Kitowski
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Julia E Neumann
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jasmin Ohli
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dörthe Holdhof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Judith Niesen
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Schoof
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marcel Kool
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Kraus
- Institute of Human Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christiane Zweier
- Institute of Human Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dan Holmberg
- Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Martinistrasse 52, N63 (HPI), 20251, Hamburg, Germany.
- Center for Neuropathology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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