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CELF2-dependent RNA regulation supports cortical architecture and synaptic stability during early brain development [RNAseq]

ABSTRACT: Neurodevelopment relies on precise post-transcriptional regulation to coordinate neuronal differentiation, migration, and circuit formation. The CUGBP Elav-like family member 2 (CELF2) is an RNA-binding protein with established roles in alternative splicing and mRNA regulation, yet its function in the developing brain remains poorly defined. Here, we investigated the role of CELF2 during early postnatal neurodevelopment using a constitutive Celf2 knockout mouse model. Celf2 knockout pups exhibited neonatal lethality accompanied by impaired neuronal maturation and disrupted cortical organization. Bulk RNA sequencing revealed widespread transcriptional dysregulation, while splicing analyses identified reduced exon inclusion in multiple neurodevelopmental transcripts following CELF2 loss. Notably, Camk2a transcript and protein levels were markedly reduced in knockout brains, consistent with CELF2 binding to the Camk2a 3′UTR. Functional studies in Caenorhabditis elegans demonstrated that expression of human CAMK2A partially rescued synaptic puncta deficits in unc-75 (CELF ortholog) mutants, supporting a conserved role for CELF-family proteins in synaptic maturation. Histological analyses revealed reductions in Nestin- and Doublecortin-positive immature neurons, thinning of upper cortical layers, and decreased CAMK2A expression. Single-nucleus RNA sequencing further revealed selective reductions in upper layer II/III excitatory neuron populations in the cortex. Together, these findings establish CELF2 as a critical post-transcriptional regulator required for neuronal maturation and architectural stability during early brain development and highlight how disruption of RNA regulatory programs may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE319281 | GEO | 2026/06/03

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystem, autosomal-dominant inherited disorder caused by CTG microsatellite repeat expansions (MREs) in the 3’ untranslated region of the dystrophia myotonica-protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Despite its prominence as the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy, patients with congenital to juvenile-onset forms of DM1 can present with debilitating neurocognitive symptoms along the autism spectrum, characteristic of possible in utero cortical defects. However, the molecular mechanism by which CTG MREs lead to these developmental central nervous system (CNS) manifestations is unknown. Here, we showed that CUG foci discovered early in maturation of three-dimensional cortical organoids from DM1 patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, cause hyperphosphorylation of CUGBP Elav-Like Family Member 2 (CELF2 ) protein. Integrative single-cell RNA-seq and enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (eCLIP ) analysis revealed reduced CELF2 protein-RNA substrate interactions resulting in mis-regulation of genes critical for excitatory synaptic signaling in glutamatergic neurons, including key components of the Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2) pathway. Comparisons to MECP2(-/-) cortical organoids revealed convergent molecular and cellular defects such as glutamate toxicity and neuronal loss. Our findings provide evidence suggesting that early-onset DM1 might involve neurodevelopmental disorder-associated pathways and identify N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA ) antagonists as potential treatment avenues for neuronal defects in DM1. To evaluate if the post-translational modification of CELF2 impacts its RNA targets, we generated transcriptome-wide eCLIP maps of CELF2 protein-RNA interactions in mature, 6-month-old control and DM1 cortical organoids. All CELF2 eCLIP libraries per organoid line were performed in biologically independent duplicates, with each replicate experiment consisting of a CELF2 (IP) and a paired size-matched input (SMInput) library . We used CLIPper to identify clusters of reads representing regions in the transcriptome significantly associated with CELF2 binding in both neurotypical lines and compared them to DM1 cortical organoids with 600 and 1200 CUG repeats.

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CELF2-dependent RNA regulation supports cortical architecture and synaptic stability during early brain development [RNAseq]

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