Project description:Mice lacking the POU-domain transcription factor Brn3a exhibit marked defects in sensory axon growth and abnormal sensory apoptosis. We have determined the regulatory targets of Brn3a in the developing trigeminal ganglion using microarray analysis of Brn3a mutant mice. These results show that Brn3 mediates the coordinated expression of neurotransmitter systems, ion channels, structural components of axons and inter- and intracellular signaling systems. Loss of Brn3a also results in the ectopic expression of transcription factors normally detected in earlier developmental stages and in other areas of the nervous system. Target gene expression is normal in heterozygous mice, consistent with prior work showing that autoregulation by Brn3a results in gene dosage compensation. Detailed examination of the expression of several of these downstream genes reveals that the regulatory role of Brn3a in the trigeminal ganglion appears to be conserved in more posterior sensory ganglia but not in the CNS neurons that express this factor. Experiment Overall Design: Microarrays used to compare the patterns of gene expression in the trigeminal ganglia of Brn3a knockout and wild-type mice. Embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) was chosen because at this point in development mutant mice exhibit major defects in sensory axon growth, but have yet to undergo the period of extensive sensory neuron death associated with later stages.
Project description:Mice lacking the POU-domain transcription factor Brn3a exhibit marked defects in sensory axon growth and abnormal sensory apoptosis. We have determined the regulatory targets of Brn3a in the developing trigeminal ganglion using microarray analysis of Brn3a mutant mice. These results show that Brn3 mediates the coordinated expression of neurotransmitter systems, ion channels, structural components of axons and inter- and intracellular signaling systems. Loss of Brn3a also results in the ectopic expression of transcription factors normally detected in earlier developmental stages and in other areas of the nervous system. Target gene expression is normal in heterozygous mice, consistent with prior work showing that autoregulation by Brn3a results in gene dosage compensation. Detailed examination of the expression of several of these downstream genes reveals that the regulatory role of Brn3a in the trigeminal ganglion appears to be conserved in more posterior sensory ganglia but not in the CNS neurons that express this factor. Keywords: Gene expression in the developing nervous system
Project description:General somatic sensation is conveyed to the central nervous system at cranial levels by the trigeminal ganglion (TG), and at spinal levels by the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Although these ganglia have similar functions, they have distinct embryological origins, in that both contain neurons originating from the neural crest, while only the TG includes cells derived from the placodal ectoderm. Here we use microarray analysis of E13.5 embryos to demonstrate that the developing DRG and TG have very similar overall patterns of gene expression. In mice lacking the POU-domain transcription factor Brn3a the DRG and TG exhibit many common changes in downstream gene expression, but a subset of genes show increased expression only at cranial levels. Although silent in wild-type ganglia, the promoter regions of genes which are activated in the absence of Brn3a also exhibit increased histone H3-acetylation at levels similar to constitutively transcribed gene loci, and this H3-acetylation is tissue-specific for genes which are increased only in the TG. These results demonstrate that one developmental role of Brn3a is to repress potential differences in gene expression between sensory neurons generated at different axial levels, and to regulate a convergent program of developmental gene expression, in which functionally similar populations of neurons are generated from different embryological substrates. Experiment Overall Design: Microarrays used to compare the patterns of gene expression in the dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia of Brn3a knockout and wild-type mice. Embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) was chosen because at this point in development mutant mice exhibit major defects in sensory axon growth, but have yet to undergo the period of extensive sensory neuron death associated with later stages.
Project description:General somatic sensation is conveyed to the central nervous system at cranial levels by the trigeminal ganglion (TG), and at spinal levels by the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Although these ganglia have similar functions, they have distinct embryological origins, in that both contain neurons originating from the neural crest, while only the TG includes cells derived from the placodal ectoderm. Here we use microarray analysis of E13.5 embryos to demonstrate that the developing DRG and TG have very similar overall patterns of gene expression. In mice lacking the POU-domain transcription factor Brn3a the DRG and TG exhibit many common changes in downstream gene expression, but a subset of genes show increased expression only at cranial levels. Although silent in wild-type ganglia, the promoter regions of genes which are activated in the absence of Brn3a also exhibit increased histone H3-acetylation at levels similar to constitutively transcribed gene loci, and this H3-acetylation is tissue-specific for genes which are increased only in the TG. These results demonstrate that one developmental role of Brn3a is to repress potential differences in gene expression between sensory neurons generated at different axial levels, and to regulate a convergent program of developmental gene expression, in which functionally similar populations of neurons are generated from different embryological substrates. Keywords: Gene expression in the developing nervous system
Project description:In vitro generation of human peripheral sensory neurons may provide a framework for novel drug screening platforms and disease models of touch and pain. However, derivation of a functionally pure sensory neuron population remains a major unmet challenge. We discovered that, by expressing the transcription factors NGN2 and BRN3A, human pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into a surprisingly homogenous culture of cold- and mechano-sensing neurons. Although such a neuronal subtype has not been reported in mice, we found molecular evidence of its existence in adult human sensory ganglia. Combining NGN2 and BRN3A programming with neural crest patterning, we produced two additional populations of sensory neurons, including a more specialized mechanosensory neuron subtype. Finally, we applied this system to model a rare inherited sensory disorder, characterized by profound impairment of touch sensation and proprioception, caused by inactivating mutations in PIEZO2. Together these findings establish an approach to specify distinct sensory neuron subtypes in vitro, underscoring the utility of stem cell technology to capture human-specific features of physiology and disease.
Project description:In vitro generation of human peripheral sensory neurons may provide a framework for novel drug screening platforms and disease models of touch and pain. However, derivation of a functionally pure sensory neuron population remains a major unmet challenge. We discovered that, by expressing the transcription factors NGN2 and BRN3A, human pluripotent stem cells can be induced to differentiate into a surprisingly homogenous culture of cold- and mechano-sensing neurons. Although such a neuronal subtype has not been reported in mice, we found molecular evidence of its existence in adult human sensory ganglia. Combining NGN2 and BRN3A programming with neural crest patterning, we produced two additional populations of sensory neurons, including a more specialized mechanosensory neuron subtype. Finally, we applied this system to model a rare inherited sensory disorder, characterized by profound impairment of touch sensation and proprioception, caused by inactivating mutations in PIEZO2. Together these findings establish an approach to specify distinct sensory neuron subtypes in vitro, underscoring the utility of stem cell technology to capture human-specific features of physiology and disease.