Jun promotes axon regeneration by binding enhancer sites and dimerizing with Atf3
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Axon regeneration is a necessary step toward functional recovery after spinal cord injury. The AP-1 transcription factor c-Jun has long been known to play an important role in directing the transcriptional response of Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) neurons to peripheral axotomy that results in successful axon regeneration. Here we performed ChIPseq for Jun in mouse DRG neurons after a sciatic nerve crush or sham surgery in order to measure the changes in Jun’s DNA binding in response to peripheral axotomy. We found that the majority of Jun’s injury-responsive changes in DNA binding occur at putative enhancer elements, rather than proximal to transcription start sites. We also used a series of single polypeptide chain tandem transcription factors to test the effects of different Jun-containing dimers on neurite outgrowth in cortical and hippocampal neurons. These experiments demonstrated that dimers composed of Jun and Atf3 promoted neurite outgrowth in rat CNS neurons. Our work provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying Jun’s role in axon regeneration.
Project description:We screened nine genetically diverse inbred mouse strains for differences in axonal growth of adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons on CNS myelin. Naïve DRG neurite outgrowth on myelin was very limited, but preconditioning the neurons by a prior sciatic nerve crush increased axonal growth substantially across all strains, with by far the greatest change in neurons from CAST/Ei mice. Three independent in vivo CNS injury models revealed greater capacity for CNS axonal regeneration in CAST/Ei than C57BL/6 mice. Full-genome expression profiling of naïve and pre-conditioned DRGs across all strains revealed Activin-βA (Inhba) as the transcript whose expression most closely correlated with axonal growth on myelin. In vitro and in vivo gain- and loss-of-function experiments confirmed that Activin promotes axonal growth in the CNS. Substantial regeneration is possible, therefore, in the injured mammalian CNS when Activin signaling is intrinsically high, as in CAST/Ei or when extrinsically modulated in other strains. 9 strains, 4 replicates per strain, 2 conditions (naïve and axotomy) = 72 samples. 2 samples were excluded because technical outliers (AJ_AX5D_1 and AJ_NAIVE_4 excluded from the normalized data but included in the raw data)
Project description:We have undertaken a genome-wide study of transcriptional activity in embryonic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) during a time course of neurite outgrowth in vitro. Gene expression observed in these models likely includes both developmental gene expression patterns and regenerative responses to axotomy, which occurs as the result of tissue dissection. Comparison across both models revealed many genes with similar gene expression patterns during neurite outgrowth. These patterns were minimally affected by exposure to the potent inhibitory cue Semaphorin3A, indicating that this extrinsic cue does not exert major effects at the level of nuclear transcription. We also compared our data to several published studies of DRG and SCG gene expression in animal models of regeneration, and found the expression of a large number of genes in common between neurite outgrowth in vitro and regeneration in vivo. Experiment Overall Design: We wished to determine the transcriptional profiles of neurons undergoing neurite outgrowth in vitro. We were particularly interested in finding genes whose expression is generally associated with the process of neurite outgrowth, rather than with cell type-specific effects. Thus, in order to avoid focusing on transcripts unique to one tissue type versus another, we used a comparative strategy to look for effects that were common to two tissue types and therefore more likely to be involved in the general process of neurite outgrowth. While these explants contain multiple cell types, we felt this was preferable to the more disruptive conditions required to dissociate neurons or obtain a pure neuron population. To this end, we monitored gene expression in cultured explants from SCG and DRG using DNA microarrays. We initiated our studies by culturing embryonic day 13 (E13) mouse SCG in vitro and harvesting tissue for RNA isolation at time points from 2 to 65 hours. Time points were selected to detect both fast, short-term responses (2, 5 and 12 hours), as well as sustained, long-term changes (24, 40, and 65 hours). Samples were hybridized to Affymetrix MG-U74v2 A and B microarrays, with RNA from acutely dissected explants serving as a baseline reference. We followed these experiments with a parallel analysis of a more heterogeneous tissue type, the DRG, which is more frequently used than SCG for in vivo studies of neurite regeneration. Cervical and upper thoracic DRG from E12 embryos were cultured with NGF (the same trophic support as in SCG cultures), harvested at time points from 2 to 40 hours, and hybridized to Affymetrix MOE 430A microarrays.
Project description:We have undertaken a genome-wide study of transcriptional activity in embryonic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) during a time course of neurite outgrowth in vitro. Gene expression observed in these models likely includes both developmental gene expression patterns and regenerative responses to axotomy, which occurs as the result of tissue dissection. Comparison across both models revealed many genes with similar gene expression patterns during neurite outgrowth. These patterns were minimally affected by exposure to the potent inhibitory cue Semaphorin3A, indicating that this extrinsic cue does not exert major effects at the level of nuclear transcription. We also compared our data to several published studies of DRG and SCG gene expression in animal models of regeneration, and found the expression of a large number of genes in common between neurite outgrowth in vitro and regeneration in vivo. Experiment Overall Design: We wished to determine the transcriptional profiles of neurons undergoing neurite outgrowth in vitro. We were particularly interested in finding genes whose expression is generally associated with the process of neurite outgrowth, rather than with cell type-specific effects. Thus, in order to avoid focusing on transcripts unique to one tissue type versus another, we used a comparative strategy to look for effects that were common to two tissue types and therefore more likely to be involved in the general process of neurite outgrowth. While these explants contain multiple cell types, we felt this was preferable to the more disruptive conditions required to dissociate neurons or obtain a pure neuron population. To this end, we monitored gene expression in cultured explants from SCG and DRG using DNA microarrays. We initiated our studies by culturing embryonic day 13 (E13) mouse SCG in vitro and harvesting tissue for RNA isolation at time points from 2 to 65 hours. Time points were selected to detect both fast, short-term responses (2, 5 and 12 hours), as well as sustained, long-term changes (24, 40, and 65 hours). Samples were hybridized to Affymetrix MG-U74v2 A and B microarrays, with RNA from acutely dissected explants serving as a baseline reference. We followed these experiments with a parallel analysis of a more heterogeneous tissue type, the DRG, which is more frequently used than SCG for in vivo studies of neurite regeneration. Cervical and upper thoracic DRG from E12 embryos were cultured with NGF (the same trophic support as in SCG cultures), harvested at time points from 2 to 40 hours, and hybridized to Affymetrix MOE 430A microarrays.
Project description:We have undertaken a genome-wide study of transcriptional activity in embryonic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) during a time course of neurite outgrowth in vitro. Gene expression observed in these models likely includes both developmental gene expression patterns and regenerative responses to axotomy, which occurs as the result of tissue dissection. Comparison across both models revealed many genes with similar gene expression patterns during neurite outgrowth. These patterns were minimally affected by exposure to the potent inhibitory cue Semaphorin3A, indicating that this extrinsic cue does not exert major effects at the level of nuclear transcription. We also compared our data to several published studies of DRG and SCG gene expression in animal models of regeneration, and found the expression of a large number of genes in common between neurite outgrowth in vitro and regeneration in vivo. Experiment Overall Design: We wished to determine the transcriptional profiles of neurons undergoing neurite outgrowth in vitro. We were particularly interested in finding genes whose expression is generally associated with the process of neurite outgrowth, rather than with cell type-specific effects. Thus, in order to avoid focusing on transcripts unique to one tissue type versus another, we used a comparative strategy to look for effects that were common to two tissue types and therefore more likely to be involved in the general process of neurite outgrowth. While these explants contain multiple cell types, we felt this was preferable to the more disruptive conditions required to dissociate neurons or obtain a pure neuron population. To this end, we monitored gene expression in cultured explants from SCG and DRG using DNA microarrays. We initiated our studies by culturing embryonic day 13 (E13) mouse SCG in vitro and harvesting tissue for RNA isolation at time points from 2 to 65 hours. Time points were selected to detect both fast, short-term responses (2, 5 and 12 hours), as well as sustained, long-term changes (24, 40, and 65 hours). Samples were hybridized to Affymetrix MG-U74v2 A and B microarrays, with RNA from acutely dissected explants serving as a baseline reference. We followed these experiments with a parallel analysis of a more heterogeneous tissue type, the DRG, which is more frequently used than SCG for in vivo studies of neurite regeneration. Cervical and upper thoracic DRG from E12 embryos were cultured with NGF (the same trophic support as in SCG cultures), harvested at time points from 2 to 40 hours, and hybridized to Affymetrix MOE 430A microarrays.
Project description:Preconditioning nerve injury drives pro-regenerative perineuronal macrophage activation in dorsal root ganglia (DRG). The present study reports that oncomodulin (ONCM) is produced from the regeneration-associated macrophages (RAMs) and strongly influences regeneration of DRG sensory axons. ONCM in macrophages was necessary to produce RAMs in the in vitro model of neuron-macrophage interaction and played an essential role in for preconditioning-induced neurite outgrowth. In order to gain insight on potential mechanisms downstream of ONCM for potent neurite outgrowth activity, we performed RNA-seq using cultured DRG neurons treated with ONCM.
Project description:Injured sensory neurons activate a transcriptional program necessary for robust axon regeneration and eventual target reinnervation. Understanding the transcriptional regulators that govern this axon regenerative response may guide therapeutic strategies to promote axon regeneration in the injured nervous system. Here, we used cultured dorsal root ganglia neurons to identify pro-regenerative transcription factors. Using RNA sequencing, we first characterized this neuronal culture and determined that embryonic day 13.5 DRG (eDRG) neurons cultured for 7 days are similar to e15.5 DRG neurons in vivo and that all neuronal subtypes are represented. This eDRG neuronal culture does not contain other non-neuronal cell types. Next, we performed RNA sequencing at different time points after in vitro axotomy. Analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed upregulation of know regeneration associated transcription factors, including Jun Atf3 and Rest, paralleling the axon injury response in vivo. Analysis of transcription factor binding sites in differentially expressed genes revealed other known transcription factors promoting axon regeneration, such as Myc, Hif1a, Pparg, Ascl1a, Srf, as well as other transcription factors not yet characterized in axon regeneration. We next tested if overexpression of known and novel candidate transcription factors alone or in combination promote axon regeneration in vitro. Our results demonstrate that expression of Ctcf with Yy1 or E2f2 enhances in vitro axon regeneration. Our analysis reveals that pairs of transcription factors can functionally synergize to promote axon regeneration and highlight that transcription factor interaction play an important role as a regulator of axon regeneration.
Project description:Axon regeneration of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons after peripheral axotomy involves epigenetic reconfigurations that rewire gene regulatory circuits to establish regenerative gene program. However, the mechanisms and transcriptional regulators remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted an unbiased survey of DNA differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DhMRs) in DRG after peripheral lesion, which identified enriched binding motif for Bmal1, a transcription factor and a central regulator of the circadian clock. Through applying conditional deletion of Bmal1, in vitro and in vivo models of axon regrowth, and transcriptomic profiling, we showed that Bmal1 inhibits axon regeneration in part through Tet3-dependent manner. Mechanistically, Bmal1 functions as a gatekeeper of neuroepigenetic injury responses by limiting Tet3 expression and restricting 5hmC modifications. Notably, Bmal1-regulated genes after axotomy not only concern axon guidance and axon regrowth, but also stress responses, energy homeostasis, and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, we uncovered diurnal oscillation of Tet3 and 5hmC in DRG neurons, and this epigenetic rhythm corresponded to time-of-day effect on axon growth potential. Collectively, our studies showed that Bmal1 deletion mimics the conditioning lesion in lifting epigenetic barriers to enhance axon regeneration.
Project description:After injury to the central nervous system (CNS), both neuron-intrinsic limitations on regenerative responses and inhibitory factors in the injured CNS environment restrict regenerative axon growth. Instances of successful axon regrowth offer opportunities to identify features that differentiate these situations from that of the normal adult CNS. One such opportunity is provided by the kinase inhibitor RO48, which dramatically enhances neurite outgrowth of neurons in vitro and substantially increased contralateral sprouting of corticospinal tract neurons when infused intraventricularly following unilateral pyramidotomy. The authors present here a transcriptomic deconvolution of RO48-associated axon growth, with the goal of identifying transcriptional regulators associated with axon growth in the CNS. Through the use of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and transcription factor binding site enrichment analysis, the authors identified a list of transcription factors putatively driving differential gene expression during RO48-induced neurite outgrowth of rat hippocampal neurons in vitro. The 82 transcription factor motifs identified in this way included some with known association to axon growth regulation, such as Jun, Klf4, Myc, Atf4, Stat3, and Nfatc2, and many with no known association to axon growth. A phenotypic loss-of-function screen was carried out to evaluate these transcription factors for their roles in neurite outgrowth; this screen identified several potential outgrowth regulators. Subsequent validation suggests that the Forkhead box (Fox) family transcription factor Foxp2 restricts neurite outgrowth, while FoxO subfamily members Foxo1 and Foxo3a promote neurite outgrowth. The authors’ combined transcriptomic-phenotypic screening strategy therefore allowed identification of novel transcriptional regulators of neurite outgrowth downstream of a multitarget kinase inhibitor.
Project description:We have undertaken a genome-wide study of transcriptional activity in embryonic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) during a time course of neurite outgrowth in vitro. Gene expression observed in these models likely includes both developmental gene expression patterns and regenerative responses to axotomy, which occurs as the result of tissue dissection. Comparison across both models revealed many genes with similar gene expression patterns during neurite outgrowth. These patterns were minimally affected by exposure to the potent inhibitory cue Semaphorin3A, indicating that this extrinsic cue does not exert major effects at the level of nuclear transcription. We also compared our data to several published studies of DRG and SCG gene expression in animal models of regeneration, and found the expression of a large number of genes in common between neurite outgrowth in vitro and regeneration in vivo. Keywords: time course
Project description:We have undertaken a genome-wide study of transcriptional activity in embryonic superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) during a time course of neurite outgrowth in vitro. Gene expression observed in these models likely includes both developmental gene expression patterns and regenerative responses to axotomy, which occurs as the result of tissue dissection. Comparison across both models revealed many genes with similar gene expression patterns during neurite outgrowth. These patterns were minimally affected by exposure to the potent inhibitory cue Semaphorin3A, indicating that this extrinsic cue does not exert major effects at the level of nuclear transcription. We also compared our data to several published studies of DRG and SCG gene expression in animal models of regeneration, and found the expression of a large number of genes in common between neurite outgrowth in vitro and regeneration in vivo. Keywords: time course