Otx2 Expression Research Articles

AVE protein expression and visceral endoderm cell behavior during anterior–posterior axis formation in mouse embryos: Asymmetry in OTX2 and DKK1 expression

The initial landmark of anterior–posterior (A–P) axis formation in mouse embryos is the distal visceral endoderm, DVE, which expresses a series of anterior genes at embryonic day 5.5 (E5.5). Subsequently, DVE cells move to the future anterior region, generating anterior visceral endoderm (AVE). Questions remain regarding how the DVE is formed and how the direction of the movement is determined. This study compares the detailed expression patterns of OTX2, HHEX, CER1, LEFTY1 and DKK1 by immunohistology and live imaging at E4.5-E6.5. At E6.5, the AVE is subdivided into four domains: most anterior (OTX2, HHEX, CER1-low/DKK1-high), anterior (OTX2, HHEX, CER1-high/DKK1-low), main (OTX2, HHEX, CER1, LEFTY1-high) and antero-lateral and posterior (OTX2, HHEX-low). The study demonstrates how this pattern is established. AVE protein expression in the DVE occurs de novo at E5.25-E5.5. Neither HHEX, LEFTY1 nor CER1 expression is asymmetric. In contrast, OTX2 expression is tilted on the future posterior side with the DKK1 expression at its proximal domain; the DVE cells move in the opposite direction of the tilt.

Thyroid Hormone-Otx2 Signaling Is Required for Embryonic Ventral Midbrain Neural Stem Cells Differentiated into Dopamine Neurons.

Midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons are essential for maintaining multiple brain functions. These neurons have also been implicated in relation with diverse neurological disorders. However, how these neurons are developed from neuronal stem cells (NSCs) remains largely unknown. In this study, we provide both in vivo and in vitro evidence that the thyroid hormone, an important physiological factor for brain development, promotes DA neuron differentiation from embryonic ventral midbrain (VM) NSCs. We find that thyroid hormone deficiency during development reduces the midbrain DA neuron number, downregulates the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and the dopamine transporter (DAT), and impairs the DA neuron-dependent motor behavior. In addition, thyroid hormone treatment during VM NSC differentiation in vitro increases the production of DA neurons and upregulates the expression of TH and DAT. We also found that the thyroid hormone enhances the expression of Otx2, an important determinant of DA neurogenesis, during DA neuron differentiation. Our in vitro gene silencing experiments indicate that Otx2 is required for thyroid hormone-dependent DA neuron differentiation from embryonic VM NSCs. Finally, we revealed both in vivo and in vitro that the thyroid hormone receptor alpha 1 is expressed in embryonic VM NSCs. Furthermore, it participates in the effects of thyroid hormone-induced Otx2 upregulation and DA neuron differentiation. These data demonstrate the role and molecular mechanisms of how the thyroid hormone regulates DA neuron differentiation from embryonic VM NSCs, particularly providing new mechanisms and a potential strategy for generating dopamine neurons from NSCs.

MiR-206, a Cerebellum Enriched miRNA Is Downregulated in All Medulloblastoma Subgroups and Its Overexpression Is Necessary for Growth Inhibition of Medulloblastoma Cells.

Medulloblastoma is the most common and a highly malignant pediatric brain tumor located in the cerebellar region of the brain. Medulloblastomas have recently been shown to consist of four distinct molecular subgroups, viz., WNT, SHH, group 3, and group 4. MiR-206, a miRNA first identified as a myomiR due to its enriched expression in skeletal muscle was found to be expressed specifically in the cerebellum, the site of medulloblastoma occurrence. MiR-206 expression was found to be downregulated in medulloblastomas belonging to all the four molecular subgroups as well as in established medulloblastoma cell lines. Further, the expression of murine homolog of miR-206 was also found to be downregulated in SHH subgroup medulloblastomas from the Smo (+/+) transgenic mice and the Ptch1 (+/-) knockout mice. MiR-206 downregulation in all the four medulloblastoma subgroups suggests tumor-suppressive role for miR-206 in medulloblastoma pathogenesis. The effect of miR-206 expression was analyzed in three established medulloblastoma cell lines, viz., Daoy, D425, and D283 belonging to distinct molecular subgroups. Restoration of miR-206 expression to the levels comparable to those in the normal cerebellum, however, was found to be insufficient to inhibit the growth of established medulloblastoma cell lines. OTX2, an oncogenic miR-206 target, overexpressed in all non-SHH medulloblastomas, is known to inhibit myogenic differentiation of medulloblastoma cells. Overexpression of miR-206 was necessary to downregulate OTX2 expression and inhibit growth of medulloblastoma cell lines.

Correction to Phylogenomic analyses of deep gastropod relationships reject Orthogastropoda

[ Proc. R. Soc. B 281 , 20141739 (2014; Published 17 September 2014) ([doi:10.1098/rspb.2014.1739][2])][2] In this study [[1][2]], we investigated the phylogenetic relationships among and within major clades of gastropods using new transcriptome data for 40 species and publicly available genomes

Genetic interaction between Pax6 and β-catenin in the developing retinal pigment epithelium.

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays an essential role in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) determination. Since activity of Pax6 (together with Pax2) is also required for the RPE determination, we investigated a possible genetic interaction between Pax6 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by analyzing Pax6, β-catenin, and Pax6/β-catenin conditional knockout mice. Although Pax6 inactivation alone had no impact on initial specification determined by the expression of Mitf and Otx2, melanin pigmentation was reduced in the RPE. This suggests that along with Mitf and Otx2, Pax6 is required for the full differentiation of RPE. Reporter gene assays in vitro suggest that hypopigmentation is at least in part due to the direct regulation of genes encoding enzymes involved in melanin synthesis by Pax6, Mitf, and β-catenin. The RPE of a β-catenin/Pax6 double mutant was differentiated into the neural retina; however, the tissue was thinner than that of the conditional β-catenin mutant due to reduced proliferation. Together, our data demonstrate that Pax6 is required for the RPE differentiation by regulating pigmentation and accountable for hyperproliferation in the transdifferentiated RPE. In this context, Pax6 appears to function as a pleiotropic regulator, directing development of ocular tissues in concert with the signaling pathway and, at the same time, regulating expression of structural component of the eye, such as shielding pigment.

Cnrip1 is a regulator of eye and neural development in Xenopus laevis.

Cannabinoid receptor interacting protein 1 (CNRIP1), which has been originally identified as the binding partner of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1), is evolutionarily conserved throughout vertebrates, but its physiological function has been unknown. Here, we identify a developmental role of CNRIP1 using Xenopus laevis embryos. During early embryogenesis, expression of Xenopus laevis cnrip1 is highly restricted to the animal region of gastrulae where neural and eye induction occur, and afterward it is seen in neural and other tissues with a temporally and spatially regulated pattern. Morpholino-mediated knockdown experiments indicate that cnrip1 has an essential role in early eye and neural development by regulating the onset of expression of key transcription factor genes, sox2, otx2, pax6 and rax. Also, over-expression experiments suggest that cnrip1 has a potential to expand sox2, otx2, pax6 and rax expression. These results suggest an instructive role of Xenopus laevis cnrip1 in early eye and neural development. Furthermore, Xenopus laevis cnr1 knockdown leads to eye defects, which are partly similar to, but milder than, those caused by cnrip1 knockdown, suggesting a possible functional similarity between CNRIP1 and CNR1. This study is the first characterization of an in vivo role of CNRIP1 in the context of whole organisms.

Zebrafish Lbh-like Is Required for Otx2-mediated Photoreceptor Differentiation

The homeobox transcription factor orthodenticle homolog 2 (otx2) is supposed as an organizer that orchestrates a transcription factor network during photoreceptor development. However, its regulation in the process remains unclear. In this study, we have identified a zebrafish limb bud and heart-like gene (lbh-like), which is expressed initially at 30 hours post fertilization (hpf) in the developing brain and eyes. Lbh-like knockdown by morpholinos specifically inhibits expression of multiple photoreceptor-specific genes, such as opsins, gnat1, gnat2 and irbp. Interestingly, otx2 expression in the morphants is not significantly reduced until 32 hpf when lbh-like begins to express, but its expression level in 72 hpf morphants is higher than that in wild type embryos. Co-injection of otx2 and its downstream target neuroD mRNAs can rescue the faults in eyes of Lbh-like morphants. Combined with the results of promoter-reporter assay, we suggest that lbh-like is a new regulator of photoreceptor differentiation directly through affecting otx2 expression in zebrafish. Furthermore, knockdown of lbh-like increases the activity of Notch pathway and perturbs the balance among proliferation, differentiation and survival of photoreceptor precursors.

Otx2 is a target of N-myc and acts as a suppressor of sensory development in the mammalian cochlea.

Transcriptional regulatory networks are essential during the formation and differentiation of organs. The transcription factor N-myc is required for proper morphogenesis of the cochlea and to control correct patterning of the organ of Corti. We show here that the Otx2 gene, a mammalian ortholog of the Drosophila orthodenticle homeobox gene, is a crucial target of N-myc during inner ear development. Otx2 expression is lost in N-myc mouse mutants, and N-myc misexpression in the chick inner ear leads to ectopic expression of Otx2. Furthermore, Otx2 enhancer activity is increased by N-myc misexpression, indicating that N-myc may directly regulate Otx2. Inactivation of Otx2 in the mouse inner ear leads to ectopic expression of prosensory markers in non-sensory regions of the cochlear duct. Upon further differentiation, these domains give rise to an ectopic organ of Corti, together with the re-specification of non-sensory areas into sensory epithelia, and the loss of Reissner's membrane. Therefore, the Otx2-positive domain of the cochlear duct shows a striking competence to develop into a mirror-image copy of the organ of Corti. Taken together, these data show that Otx2 acts downstream of N-myc and is essential for patterning and spatial restriction of the sensory domain of the mammalian cochlea.

Quantitative high-throughput gene expression profiling of human striatal development to screen stem cell–derived medium spiny neurons

A systematic characterization of the spatio-temporal gene expression during human neurodevelopment is essential to understand brain function in both physiological and pathological conditions. In recent years, stem cell technology has provided an in vitro tool to recapitulate human development, permitting also the generation of human models for many diseases. The correct differentiation of human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC) into specific cell types should be evaluated by comparison with specific cells/tissue profiles from the equivalent adult in vivo organ. Here, we define by a quantitative high-throughput gene expression analysis the subset of specific genes of the whole ganglionic eminence (WGE) and adult human striatum. Our results demonstrate that not only the number of specific genes is crucial but also their relative expression levels between brain areas. We next used these gene profiles to characterize the differentiation of hPSCs. Our findings demonstrate a temporal progression of gene expression during striatal differentiation of hPSCs from a WGE toward an adult striatum identity. Present results establish a gene expression profile to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the telencephalic hPSC-derived progenitors eventually used for transplantation and mature striatal neurons for disease modeling and drug-screening.

Otx1 promotes basal dendritic growth and regulates intrinsic electrophysiological and synaptic properties of layer V pyramidal neurons in mouse motor cortex

The transcription factor Otx1 is specifically expressed in layer V pyramidal cells (L5PCs) in the cerebral cortex. Otx1 null mutant mice have a defect in the developmental axon pruning of L5PCs and show epileptic seizures. However, the role of Otx1 in electrophysiology, morphology and synaptology of the cortical neurons has not been fully investigated. This study examines the influences of Otx1 on neuronal properties of L5PCs by loss- and gain-of-function approaches. Mice with an Otx1-null mutation had decreased structural measurements of basal dendrites in L5PCs. In contrast, the size of basal dendrites was increased in the Otx1-over-expressed pyramidal cells (PCs) in L2/3 where the gene normally does not express. PCs showed burst and non-burst firing patterns of action potentials. The proportion of burst firing neurons was reduced in the Otx1 mutant but increased in the neurons over-expressing Otx1. Although the burst firing population decreased, the proportion of those bursting neurons with a low threshold increased in the Otx1 mutant mice. Moreover, excitatory facilitating synaptic connections formed between L5PCs were predominant in the Otx1 mutant mice, which greatly contrasted with the predominant depressing synaptic connections in the controls. Taken together, it suggests an enhanced activity of neuronal network in the cortex of Otx1 mutant mice. These data indicate that the Otx1 expression is essential for the normal development of dendritic morphology, intrinsic electrophysiology and synaptic dynamics of L5PCs. This study provides new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the spatial and temporal regulation of neuronal and synaptic properties of L5PCs, and improves our understanding on the generation of epileptic seizures.

Deletion of OTX2 in neural ectoderm delays anterior pituitary development.

OTX2 is a homeodomain transcription factor that is necessary for normal head development in mouse and man. Heterozygosity for loss-of-function alleles causes an incompletely penetrant, haploinsufficiency disorder. Affected individuals exhibit a spectrum of features that range from developmental defects in eye and/or pituitary development to acephaly. To investigate the mechanism underlying the pituitary defects, we used different cre lines to inactivate Otx2 in early head development and in the prospective anterior and posterior lobes. Mice homozygous for Otx2 deficiency in early head development and pituitary oral ectoderm exhibit craniofacial defects and pituitary gland dysmorphology, but normal pituitary cell specification. The morphological defects mimic those observed in humans and mice with OTX2 heterozygous mutations. Mice homozygous for Otx2 deficiency in the pituitary neural ectoderm exhibited altered patterning of gene expression and ablation of FGF signaling. The posterior pituitary lobe and stalk, which normally arise from neural ectoderm, were extremely hypoplastic. Otx2 expression was intact in Rathke's pouch, the precursor to the anterior lobe, but the anterior lobe was hypoplastic. The lack of FGF signaling from the neural ectoderm was sufficient to impair anterior lobe growth, but not the differentiation of hormone-producing cells. This study demonstrates that Otx2 expression in the neural ectoderm is important intrinsically for the development of the posterior lobe and pituitary stalk, and it has significant extrinsic effects on anterior pituitary growth. Otx2 expression early in head development is important for establishing normal craniofacial features including development of the brain, eyes and pituitary gland.

Analysis of the Transcription Regulatory Mechanism of Otx During the Development of the Sensory Vesicle in Ciona intestinalis.

Establishment of the anterior-posterior axis is an important event in the development of bilateral animals. A homeodomain transcription factor, Otx, is important for the formation of the anterior part of the embryo, and its mRNA is expressed in a continuous manner in a wide range of animals. This pattern of expression is thought to be important for the formation of anterior neural structures, but the mechanism that regulates Otx expression remains largely unknown. Towards understanding how the transcription of Otx is maintained in the cells of anterior neural structure, the sensory vesicle, during embryogenesis, we examined transcription regulatory mechanisms of Otx, using embryos of the ascidian, Ciona intestinalis, from the gastrula to tailbud stages, which have not been studied previously. We identified two genomic regions capable of mimicking the Otx expression pattern from the gastrula to tailbud stages. Putative transcription factor binding sites required for this activity were identified. Notably, distinct sets of transcription factor binding sites were required at different developmental stages for the expression of Otx, suggesting that the continuity of Otx is supported by distinct transcriptional mechanisms in the gastrula and neurula stages. Along with previous studies using Halocynthia roretzi, the present results provide insight into the evolution of transcriptional regulatory mechanism of Otx.

Otx2 and Oct4 Drive Early Enhancer Activation during Embryonic Stem Cell Transition from Naive Pluripotency

SummaryEmbryonic stem cells (ESCs) are unique in that they have the capacity to differentiate into all of the cell types in the body. We know a lot about the complex transcriptional control circuits that maintain the naive pluripotent state under self-renewing conditions but comparatively less about how cells exit from this state in response to differentiation stimuli. Here, we examined the role of Otx2 in this process in mouse ESCs and demonstrate that it plays a leading role in remodeling the gene regulatory networks as cells exit from ground state pluripotency. Otx2 drives enhancer activation through affecting chromatin marks and the activity of associated genes. Mechanistically, Oct4 is required for Otx2 expression, and reciprocally, Otx2 is required for efficient Oct4 recruitment to many enhancer regions. Therefore, the Oct4-Otx2 regulatory axis actively establishes a new regulatory chromatin landscape during the early events that accompany exit from ground state pluripotency.

Erratum: OTX1 expression in breast cancer is regulated by p53

Erratum: OTX1 expression in breast cancer is regulated by p53

Retinal Input Directs the Recruitment of Inhibitory Interneurons into Thalamic Visual Circuits

Inhibitory interneurons (INs) critically control the excitability and plasticity of neuronal networks, but whether activity can direct INs into specific circuits during development is unknown. Here, we report that in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), which relays retinal input to the cortex, circuit activity is required for the migration, molecular differentiation, and functional integration of INs. We first characterize the prenatal origin and molecular identity of dLGN INs, revealing their recruitment from an Otx2(+) neuronal pool located in the adjacent ventral LGN. Using time-lapse and electrophysiological recordings, together with genetic and pharmacological perturbation of retinal waves, we show that retinal activity directs the navigation and circuit incorporation of dLGN INs during the first postnatal week, thereby regulating the inhibition of thalamocortical circuits. These findings identify an input-dependent mechanism regulating IN migration and circuit inhibition, which may account for the progressive recruitment of INs into expanding excitatory circuits during evolution.

Otx2 ChIP-seq Reveals Unique and Redundant Functions in the Mature Mouse Retina

During mouse retinal development and into adulthood, the transcription factor Otx2 is expressed in pigment epithelium, photoreceptors and bipolar cells. In the mature retina, Otx2 ablation causes photoreceptor degeneration through a non-cell-autonomous mechanism involving Otx2 function in the supporting RPE. Surprisingly, photoreceptor survival does not require Otx2 expression in the neural retina, where the related Crx homeobox gene, a major regulator of photoreceptor development, is also expressed. To get a deeper view of mouse Otx2 activities in the neural retina, we performed chromatin-immunoprecipitation followed by massively parallel sequencing (ChIP-seq) on Otx2. Using two independent ChIP-seq assays, we identified consistent sets of Otx2-bound cis-regulatory elements. Comparison with our previous RPE-specific Otx2 ChIP-seq data shows that Otx2 occupies different functional domains of the genome in RPE cells and in neural retina cells and regulates mostly different sets of genes. To assess the potential redundancy of Otx2 and Crx, we compared our data with Crx ChIP-seq data. While Crx genome occupancy markedly differs from Otx2 genome occupancy in the RPE, it largely overlaps that of Otx2 in the neural retina. Thus, in accordance with its essential role in the RPE and its non-essential role in the neural retina, Otx2 regulates different gene sets in the RPE and the neural retina, and shares an important part of its repertoire with Crx in the neural retina. Overall, this study provides a better understanding of gene-regulatory networks controlling photoreceptor homeostasis and disease.

Cadmium contaminated soil affects retinogenesis in lizard embryos

Lizards are soil surface animals that represent an important link between invertebrates and higher predators. Being part of wild fauna, they can be affected by contamination from anthropic activities and in particular, pesticides and chemical substances of various nature that reach the soil surface directly or through fall out. Among these substances, heavy metals such as cadmium may exert particularly marked toxic effect on both adult and embryos. In lizards, recent studies show that cadmium may cause developmental defects, including alteration of eye development, with appearance of unilateral microphthalmia and retinal folding. In the present study, the effects of cadmium incubation on retinal development were investigated demonstrating that cadmium interferes with cell cycle regulation by increasing proliferation. An increased expression of Otx2 and Pax6 genes, markers of retinal differentiation, was also found. However, the cellular localization of Pax6 and Otx2 transcripts did not change in treated embryos: in the early stages of retinogenesis, the two genes were expressed in all retinal cells; in the differentiated retina, Otx2 remained in the cellular bodies of retinal cells forming the nuclear and the ganglion layers, whereas Pax6 was expressed only in the cells of the inner nuclear and the ganglion layers. Data suggest that the increased expression of Pax6 and Otx2 could be ascribed to the hyperproliferation of retinal cells rather than to an effective gene overexpression.

Otx2 expression in anterior neuroectoderm and forebrain/midbrain is directed by more than six enhancers

Otx2 plays essential roles in each site at each step of head development. We previously identified the AN1 enhancer at 91kb 5' upstream for the Otx2 expressions in anterior neuroectoderm (AN) at neural plate stage before E8.5, and the FM1 enhancer at 75kb 5' upstream and the FM2 enhancer at 122kb 3' downstream for the expression in forebrain/midbrain (FM) at brain vesicle stage after E8.5. The present study identified a second AN enhancer (AN2) at 88kb 5' upstream; the AN2 enhancer also recapitulates the endogenous Otx2 expression in choroid plexus, cortical hem and choroidal roof. However, the enhancer mutants indicated the presence of another AN enhancer. The study also identified a third FM enhancer (FM3) at 153kb 5' upstream. Thus, the Otx2 expressions in anterior neuroectoderm and forebrain/midbrain are regulated by more than six enhancers located far from the coding region. The enhancers identified are differentially conserved among vertebrates; none of the AN enhancers has activities in caudal forebrain and midbrain at brain vesicle stage after E8.5, nor do any of the FM enhancers in anterior neuroectoderm at neural plate stage before E8.5.

Continuous expression of Otx in the anterior neural lineage is supported by different transcriptional regulatory mechanisms during the development of Halocynthia roretzi

The process of establishing the anterior-posterior axis is an important event in the development of bilateral animals. Otx, which encodes a homeodomain transcription factor, is continuously expressed in the anterior part of the embryo in a wide range of animals. This pattern of expression is thought to be important for the formation of anterior neural structures, but the regulatory mechanism that sustains the expression is not known. Here, using embryos of the ascidian, Halocynthia roretzi, we investigated how the transcription of Otx is maintained in the cells of the anterior neural lineage during embryogenesis. We identified an enhancer region sufficient to mimic the Otx expression pattern from the gastrula to tailbud stages. Several putative transcription factor binding sites that are required for generating the Otx expression pattern were also identified. Distinct sets of sites were required at different developmental stages, suggesting that distinct transcriptional mechanisms regulate Otx transcription in each of the gastrula, neurula and tailbud stages. Along with previous studies on the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of Otx during the pre-gastrula stages, the present results provide the first overview of the mechanism that sustains Otx expression in the anterior neural lineage during ascidian embryogenesis and demonstrate the complexity of a developmental mechanism that maintains Otx transcription.

OTX2 loss causes rod differentiation defect in CRX-associated congenital blindness

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) encompasses a set of early-onset blinding diseases that are characterized by vision loss, involuntary eye movement, and nonrecordable electroretinogram (ERG). At least 19 genes are associated with LCA, which is typically recessive; however, mutations in homeodomain transcription factor CRX lead to an autosomal dominant form of LCA. The mechanism of CRX-associated LCA is not understood. Here, we identified a spontaneous mouse mutant with a frameshift mutation in Crx (CrxRip). We determined that CrxRip is a dominant mutation that results in congenital blindness with nonrecordable response by ERG and arrested photoreceptor differentiation with no associated degeneration. Expression of LCA-associated dominant CRX frameshift mutations in mouse retina mimicked the CrxRip phenotype, which was rescued by overexpression of WT CRX. Whole-transcriptome profiling using deep RNA sequencing revealed progressive and complete loss of rod differentiation factor NRL in CrxRip retinas. Expression of NRL partially restored rod development in CrxRip/+ mice. We show that the binding of homeobox transcription factor OTX2 at the Nrl promoter was obliterated in CrxRip mice and ectopic expression of OTX2 rescued the rod differentiation defect. Together, our data indicate that OTX2 maintains Nrl expression in developing rods to consolidate rod fate. Our studies provide insights into CRX mutation-associated congenital blindness and should assist in therapeutic design.