ERK Inhibition Rescues Defects in Fate Specification of Nf1-Deficient Neural Progenitors and Brain Abnormalities
ERK Inhibition Rescues Defects in Fate Specification of Nf1-Deficient Neural Progenitors and Brain Abnormalities
Germline mutations in the RAS/ERK signaling pathway underlie several related developmental disorders collectively termed neuro-cardio-facial-cutaneous (NCFC) syndromes. NCFC patients manifest varying degrees of cognitive impairment, but the developmental basis of their brain abnormalities remains largely unknown. Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), an NCFC syndrome, is caused by loss-of-function heterozygous mutations in the NF1 gene, which encodes neurofibromin, a RAS GTPase-activating protein. Here, we show that biallelic Nf1 inactivation promotes Erk-dependent, ectopic Olig2 expression specifically in transit-amplifying progenitors, leading to increased gliogenesis at the expense of neurogenesis in neonatal and adult subventricular zone (SVZ). Nf1-deficient brains exhibit enlarged corpus callosum, a structural defect linked to severe learning deficits in NF1 patients. Strikingly, these NF1-associated developmental defects are rescued by transient treatment with an MEK/ERK inhibitor during neonatal stages. This study reveals a critical role for Nf1 in maintaining postnatal SVZ-derived neurogenesis and identifies a potential therapeutic window for treating NF1-associated brain abnormalities.
- Osaka University Japan
- University of Michigan–Ann Arbor United States
- Nationwide Children's Hospital United States
- University of California, Los Angeles United States
- University of Michigan–Flint United States
Mice, Knockout, Neurofibromatosis 1, Neurofibromin 1, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), MAP Kinase Signaling System, Brain, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2, Corpus Callosum, Mice, Neural Stem Cells, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Animals, Humans, Neuroglia
Mice, Knockout, Neurofibromatosis 1, Neurofibromin 1, Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all), MAP Kinase Signaling System, Brain, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Oligodendrocyte Transcription Factor 2, Corpus Callosum, Mice, Neural Stem Cells, Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors, Animals, Humans, Neuroglia
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