Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Organ Development and Regeneration of Zhejiang Province, College of Life Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310029, People's Republic of China.
Mol Brain. 2020 Nov 13;13(1):155. doi: 10.1186/s13041-020-00696-0.
Olig2 transcription factor is essential for the maintenance of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the pMN domain and their sequential specification into motor neurons (MNs) and oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). The expression of Olig2 rapidly declines in newly generated MNs. However, Olig2 expression persists in later-born OPCs and antagonizes the expression of MN-related genes. The mechanism underlying the differential expression of Olig2 in MNs and oligodendrocytes remains unknown. Here, we report that activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling in pMN lineage cells abolished Olig2 expression coupled with a dramatic increase of Ngn2 expression. Luciferase reporter assay showed that Ngn2 inhibited Olig2 promoter activity. Overexpression of Ngn2-EnR transcription repressor blocked the expression of Olig2 in ovo. Our results suggest that down-regulation of WNT-Ngn2 signaling contributes to oligodendrogenesis from the pMN domain and the persistent Olig2 expression in OPCs.
Olig2 转录因子对于维持 pMN 区域中的神经前体细胞(NPCs)及其顺序特化为运动神经元(MNs)和少突胶质细胞前体细胞(OPCs)是必不可少的。Olig2 的表达在新生成的 MNs 中迅速下降。然而,Olig2 的表达在后来产生的 OPCs 中持续存在,并拮抗 MN 相关基因的表达。MN 和少突胶质细胞中 Olig2 表达差异的机制尚不清楚。在这里,我们报告在 pMN 谱系细胞中激活 WNT/β-catenin 信号通路会消除 Olig2 的表达,同时伴随着 Ngn2 表达的急剧增加。荧光素酶报告基因检测表明,Ngn2 抑制了 Olig2 启动子活性。过表达 Ngn2-EnR 转录阻遏物可阻断 Olig2 在鸡胚中的表达。我们的结果表明,WNT-Ngn2 信号通路的下调有助于 pMN 区域中的少突胶质细胞发生,并使 OPCs 中持续表达 Olig2。