A cis-regulatory module underlies retinal ganglion cell genesis and axonogenesis.

Atoh7 is transiently expressed in retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and is required for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. In humans, a deletion in a distal non-coding regulatory region upstream of ATOH7 is associated with optic nerve atrophy and blindness. Here, we functionally interrogate the significance of the Atoh7 regulatory landscape to retinogenesis in mice. Deletion of the Atoh7 enhancer structure leads to RGC deficiency, optic nerve hypoplasia, and retinal blood vascular abnormalities, phenocopying inactivation of Atoh7. Further, loss of the Atoh7 remote enhancer impacts ipsilaterally projecting RGCs and disrupts proper axonal projections to the visual thalamus. Deletion of the Atoh7 remote enhancer is also associated with the dysregulation of axonogenesis genes, including the derepression of the axon repulsive cue Robo3. Our data provide insights into how Atoh7 enhancer elements function to promote RGC development and optic nerve formation and highlight a key role of Atoh7 in the transcriptional control of axon guidance molecules.

Functional analysis of the Vsx2 super-enhancer uncovers distinct cis-regulatory circuits controlling Vsx2 expression during retinogenesis.

Vsx2 is a transcription factor essential for retinal proliferation and bipolar cell differentiation, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its developmental roles are unclear. Here, we have profiled VSX2 genomic occupancy during mouse retinogenesis, revealing extensive retinal genetic programs associated with VSX2 during development. VSX2 binds and transactivates its enhancer in association with the transcription factor PAX6. Mice harboring deletions in the Vsx2 regulatory landscape exhibit specific abnormalities in retinal proliferation and in bipolar cell differentiation. In one of those deletions, a complete loss of bipolar cells is associated with a bias towards photoreceptor production. VSX2 occupies cis-regulatory elements nearby genes associated with photoreceptor differentiation and homeostasis in the adult mouse and human retina, including a conserved region nearby Prdm1, a factor implicated in the specification of rod photoreceptors and suppression of bipolar cell fate. VSX2 interacts with the transcription factor OTX2 and can act to suppress OTX2-dependent enhancer transactivation of the Prdm1 enhancer. Taken together, our analyses indicate that Vsx2 expression can be temporally and spatially uncoupled at the enhancer level, and they illuminate important mechanistic insights into how VSX2 is engaged with gene regulatory networks that are essential for retinal proliferation and cell fate acquisition.

Building a Mammalian Retina: An Eye on Chromatin Structure.

Regulation of gene expression by chromatin structure has been under intensive investigation, establishing nuclear organization and genome architecture as a potent and effective means of regulating developmental processes. The substantial growth in our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying retinogenesis has been powered by several genome-wide based tools that mapped chromatin organization at multiple cellular and biochemical levels. Studies profiling the retinal epigenome and transcriptome have allowed the systematic annotation of putative cis-regulatory elements associated with transcriptional programs that drive retinal neural differentiation, laying the groundwork to understand spatiotemporal retinal gene regulation at a mechanistic level. In this review, we outline recent advances in our understanding of the chromatin architecture in the mammalian retina during development and disease. We focus on the emerging roles of non-coding regulatory elements in controlling retinal cell-type specific transcriptional programs, and discuss potential implications in untangling the etiology of eye-related disorders.

Autism throughout genetics: Perusal of the implication of ion channels.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interactions, interpersonal communication, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors and may be associated with intellectual disabilities. The description of ASD as a synaptopathology highlights the importance of the synapse and the implication of ion channels in the etiology of these disorders. METHODS: A narrative and critical review of the relevant papers from 1982 to 2017 known by the authors was conducted. RESULTS: Genome-wide linkages, association studies, and genetic analyses of patients with ASD have led to the identification of several candidate genes and mutations linked to ASD. Many of the candidate genes encode for proteins involved in neuronal development and regulation of synaptic function including ion channels and actors implicated in synapse formation. The involvement of ion channels in ASD is of great interest as they represent attractive therapeutic targets. In agreement with this view, recent findings have shown that drugs modulating ion channel function are effective for the treatment of certain types of patients with ASD. CONCLUSION: This review describes the genetic aspects of ASD with a focus on genes encoding ion channels and highlights the therapeutic implications of ion channels in the treatment of ASD.

TOP3B: A Novel Candidate Gene in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy?

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is characterized by seizures, severe cognitive abnormalities, and behavior impairments. These features could evolve over time and get worse, especially when the encephalopathy is pharmacoresistant. Thus, genetic studies should provide a better understanding of infantile epilepsy syndromes. Herein, we investigate the genetics of JME in a consanguineous family analyzing the copy number variations detected using over 700 K SNP arrays. We identified a 254-kb deletion in the 22q11.2 region, including only the TOP3B gene, detected in the patient and her father. TOP3B encodes a topoisomerase DNA (III) ß protein and has been implicated in several neurological diseases such as schizophrenia and autism. In this study, we discuss the implication of the 22q11.2 region in neurodevelopmental disorders and the association of TOP3B with epilepsy.

Down-regulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway by Cacnb4.

The ß4 isoform of the ß-subunits of voltage-gated calcium channel regulates cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Herein we show that coexpression of the ß4-subunit with actors of the canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in a hepatoma cell line inhibits Wnt-responsive gene transcription and decreases cell division, in agreement with the role of the Wnt pathway in cell proliferation. ß4-subunit-mediated inhibition of Wnt signaling is observed in the presence of LiCl, an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3) that promotes ß-catenin translocation to the nucleus. Expression of ß4-subunit mutants that lost the ability to translocate to the nucleus has no effect on Wnt signaling, suggesting that ß4-subunit inhibition of Wnt signaling occurs downstream from GSK3 and requires targeting of ß4-subunit to the nucleus. ß4-subunit coimmunoprecipitates with the TCF4 transcription factor and overexpression of TCF4 reverses the effect of ß4-subunit on the Wnt pathway. We thus propose that the interaction of nuclear ß4-subunit with TCF4 prevents ß-catenin binding to TCF4 and leads to the inhibition of the Wnt-responsive gene transcription. Thereby, our results show that ß4-subunit is a TCF4 repressor and therefore appears as an interesting candidate for the regulation of this pathway in neurons where ß4-subunit is specifically expressed.

The ß4 subunit of the voltage-gated calcium channel (Cacnb4) regulates the rate of cell proliferation in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells.

The ß subunits of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (VGCC) are cytosolic proteins that interact with the VGCC pore -forming subunit and participate in the trafficking of the channel to the cell membrane and in ion influx regulation. ß subunits also exert functions independently of their binding to VGCC by translocation to the cell nucleus including the control of gene expression. Mutations of the neuronal Cacnb4 (ß4) subunit are linked to human neuropsychiatric disorders including epilepsy and intellectual disabilities. It is believed that the pathogenic phenotype induced by these mutations is associated with channel-independent functions of the ß4 subunit. In this report, we investigated the role of ß4 subunit in cell proliferation and cell cycle progression and examined whether these functions could be altered by a pathogenic mutation. To this end, stably transfected Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells expressing either rat full-length ß4 or the rat C-terminally truncated epileptic mutant variant ß1-481 were generated. The subcellular localization of both proteins differed significantly. Full-length ß4 localizes almost exclusively in the cell nucleus and concentrates into the nucleolar compartment, while the C-terminal-truncated ß1-481 subunit was less concentrated within the nucleus and absent from the nucleoli. Cell proliferation was found to be reduced by the expression of ß4, while it was unaffected by the epileptic mutant. Also, full-length ß4 interfered with cell cycle progression by presumably preventing cells from entering the S-phase via a mechanism that partially involves endogenous B56δ, a regulatory subunit of the phosphatase 2A (PP2A) that binds ß4 but not ß1-481. Analysis of ß4 subcellular distribution during the cell cycle revealed that the protein is highly expressed in the nucleus at the G1/S transition phase and that it is translocated out of the nucleus during chromatin condensation and cell division. These results suggest that nuclear accumulation of ß4 at the G1/S transition phase affects the progression into S-phase resulting in a decrease in the rate of cell proliferation. Regulation of the cell cycle exit is a critical step in determining the number of neuronal precursors and neuronal differentiation suggesting that mutations of the ß4 subunit could affect neural development and formation of the mature central nervous system.

Protein partners of the calcium channel ß subunit highlight new cellular functions.

Calcium plays a key role in cell signalling by its intervention in a wide range of physiological processes. Its entry into cells occurs mainly via voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC), which are found not only in the plasma membrane of excitable cells but also in cells insensitive to electrical signals. VGCC are composed of different subunits, α1, ß, α2δ and γ, among which the cytosolic ß subunit (Cavß) controls the trafficking of the channel to the plasma membrane, its regulation and its gating properties. For many years, these were the main functions associated with Cavß. However, a growing number of proteins have been found to interact with Cavß, emphasizing the multifunctional role of this versatile protein. Interestingly, some of the newly assigned functions of Cavß are independent of its role in the regulation of VGCC, and thus further increase its functional roles. Based on the identity of Cavß protein partners, this review emphasizes the diverse cellular functions of Cavß and summarizes both past findings as well as recent progress in the understanding of VGCC.