Yangu Zhao

The LIM homeobox gene Lhx9 is essential for mouse gonad formation.

During mammalian embryonic development, the ovaries and testes develop from somatic cells of the urogenital ridges as indifferent gonads, harbouring primordial germ cells that have migrated there. After sex determination of the gonads, the testes produce testosterone and anti-Mullerian hormone which mediate male sexual differentiation, and the female developmental pathway ensues in their absence. Here we show that transcripts of the LIM homeobox gene Lhx9 are present in urogenital ridges of mice at embryonic day 9.5; later they localize to the interstitial region as morphological differentiation occurs. In mice lacking Lhx9 function, germ cells migrate normally, but somatic cells of the genital ridge fail to proliferate and a discrete gonad fails to form. In the absence of testosterone and anti-Mullerian hormone, genetically male mice are phenotypically female. The expression of steroidogenic factor 1 (Sf1), a nuclear receptor essential for gonadogenesis, is reduced to minimal levels in the Lhx9-deficient genital ridge, indicating that Lhx9 may lie upstream of Sf1 in a developmental cascade. Unlike mice lacking other genes that mediate early stages of gonadogenesis, Lhx9 mutants do not exhibit additional major developmental defects. Thus, LHX9 mutations may underlie certain forms of isolated gonadal agenesis in humans.

The LIM-homeobox gene Lhx8 is required for the development of many cholinergic neurons in the mouse forebrain

Forebrain cholinergic neurons play important roles as striatal local circuit neurons and basal telencephalic projection neurons. The genetic mechanisms that control development of these neurons suggest that most of them are derived from the basal telencephalon where Lhx8, a LIM-homeobox gene, is expressed. Here we report that mice with a null mutation of Lhx8 are deficient in the development of forebrain cholinergic neurons. Lhx8 mutants lack the nucleus basalis, a major source of the cholinergic input to the cerebral cortex. In addition, the number of cholinergic neurons is reduced in several other areas of the subcortical forebrain in Lhx8 mutants, including the caudate-putamen, medial septal nucleus, nucleus of the diagonal band, and magnocellular preoptic nucleus. Although cholinergic neurons are not formed, initial steps in their specification appear to be preserved, as indicated by a presence of cells expressing a truncated Lhx8 mRNA and mRNA of the homeobox gene Gbx1. These results provide genetic evidence supporting an important role for Lhx8 in development of cholinergic neurons in the forebrain.

Distinct Molecular Pathways for Development of Telencephalic Interneuron Subtypes Revealed Through Analysis of Lhx6 Mutants

Here we analyze the role of the Lhx6 lim‐homeobox transcription factor in regulating the development of subsets of neocortical, hippocampal, and striatal interneurons. An Lhx6 loss‐of‐function allele, which expresses placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), allowed analysis of the development and fate of Lhx6‐expressing interneurons in mice lacking this homeobox transcription factor. There are Lhx6+;Dlx+ and Lhx6−;Dlx+ subtypes of tangentially migrating interneurons. Most interneurons in Lhx6PLAP/PLAP mutants migrate to the cortex, although less efficiently, and exhibit defects in populating the marginal zone and superficial parts of the neocortical plate. By contrast, migration to superficial parts of the hippocampus is not seriously affected. Furthermore, whereas parvalbumin+ and somatostatin+ interneurons do not differentiate, NPY+ interneurons are present; we suggest that these NPY+ interneurons are derived from the Lhx6−;Dlx+ subtype. Striatal interneurons show deficits distinct from pallial interneurons, including a reduction in the NPY+ subtype. We provide evidence that Lhx6 mediates these effects through promoting expression of receptors that regulate interneuron migration (ErbB4, CXCR4, and CXCR7), and through promoting the expression of transcription factors either known (Arx) or implicated (bMaf, Cux2, and NPAS1) in controlling interneuron development. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:79–99, 2008.

Lhx6 and Lhx8 Coordinately Induce Neuronal Expression of Shh that Controls the Generation of Interneuron Progenitors

Lhx6 and Lhx8 transcription factor coexpression in early-born MGE neurons is required to induce neuronal Shh expression. We provide evidence that these transcription factors regulate expression of a Shh enhancer in MGE neurons. Lhx6 and Lhx8 are also required to prevent Nkx2-1 expression in a subset of pallial interneurons. Shh function in early-born MGE neurons was determined by genetically eliminating Shh expression in the MGE mantle zone (MZ). This mutant had reduced SHH signaling in the overlying progenitor zone, which led to reduced Lhx6, Lhx8, and Nkx2-1 expression in the rostrodorsal MGE and a preferential reduction of late-born somatostatin(+) and parvalbumin(+) cortical interneurons. Thus, Lhx6 and Lhx8 regulate MGE development through autonomous and nonautonomous mechanisms, the latter by promoting Shh expression in MGE neurons, which in turn feeds forward to promote the developmental program of the rostrodorsal MGE.

LIM-homeodomain proteins Lhx1 and Lhx5, and their cofactor Ldb1, control Purkinje cell differentiation in the developing cerebellum

Purkinje cells are one of the major types of neurons that form the neural circuitry in the cerebellum essential for fine control of movement and posture. During development, Purkinje cells also are critically involved in the regulation of proliferation of progenitors of granule cells, the other major type of neurons in the cerebellum. The process that controls differentiation of Purkinje cells from their early precursors is poorly understood. Here we report that two closely related LIM-homeobox genes, Lhx1 and Lhx5, were expressed in the developing Purkinje cells soon after they exited the cell cycle and migrated out of the cerebellar ventricular zone. Double-mutant mice lacking function of both Lhx1 and Lhx5 showed a severe reduction in the number of Purkinje cells. In addition, targeted inactivation of Ldb1, which encodes a cofactor for all LIM-homeodomain proteins, resulted in a similar phenotype. Our studies thus provide evidence that these transcription regulators are essential for controlling Purkinje cell differentiation in the developing mammalian cerebellum.

Nuclear adaptor Ldb1 regulates a transcriptional program essential for the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells

The nuclear adaptor Ldb1 functions as a core component of multiprotein transcription complexes that regulate differentiation in diverse cell types. In the hematopoietic lineage, Ldb1 forms a complex with the non–DNA-binding adaptor Lmo2 and the transcription factors E2A, Scl and GATA-1 (or GATA-2). Here we demonstrate a critical and continuous requirement for Ldb1 in the maintenance of both fetal and adult mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Deletion of Ldb1 in hematopoietic progenitors resulted in the downregulation of many transcripts required for HSC maintenance. Genome-wide profiling by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) identified Ldb1 complex–binding sites at highly conserved regions in the promoters of genes involved in HSC maintenance. Our results identify a central role for Ldb1 in regulating the transcriptional program responsible for the maintenance of HSCs.

Learning impairments and motor dysfunctions in adult Lhx5-deficient mice displaying hippocampal disorganization

Lhx5 is a member of the LIM homeobox gene family that regulates development of the nervous system. Adult mice generated with a mutation in Lhx5 were found to display absent or disorganized hippocampal neuroanatomy. The pyramidal cell layer in Ammons horn and the granule cell layer in the dentate gyrus were absent or poorly defined in the hippocampus of adult Lhx5 knockout mice. Behavioral phenotyping of Lhx5 null mutants detected deficits on learning and memory tasks, including the Barnes maze spatial learning task, spontaneous alternation recognition memory, and contextual and cued fear conditioning. General health, neurological reflexes, and sensory abilities appeared to be normal in Lhx5 knockout mice. Motor tests showed impaired performance on some measures of motor activity, coordination, balance, and gait. These results reveal functional outcomes of Lhx5 gene deletion on the integrity of hippocampal neuroanatomy and behavior in the adult mouse.

LIM homeobox transcription factors integrate signaling events that control three-dimensional limb patterning and growth

Vertebrate limb development is controlled by three signaling centers that regulate limb patterning and growth along the proximodistal (PD), anteroposterior (AP) and dorsoventral (DV) limb axes. Coordination of limb development along these three axes is achieved by interactions and feedback loops involving the secreted signaling molecules that mediate the activities of these signaling centers. However, it is unknown how these signaling interactions are processed in the responding cells. We have found that distinct LIM homeodomain transcription factors, encoded by the LIM homeobox (LIM-HD) genes Lhx2, Lhx9 and Lmx1b integrate the signaling events that link limb patterning and outgrowth along all three axes. Simultaneous loss of Lhx2 and Lhx9 function resulted in patterning and growth defects along the AP and the PD limb axes. Similar, but more severe, phenotypes were observed when the activities of all three factors, Lmx1b, Lhx2 and Lhx9, were significantly reduced by removing their obligatory co-factor Ldb1. This reveals that the dorsal limb-specific factor Lmx1b can partially compensate for the function of Lhx2 and Lhx9 in regulating AP and PD limb patterning and outgrowth. We further showed that Lhx2 and Lhx9 can fully substitute for each other, and that Lmx1b is partially redundant, in controlling the production of output signals in mesenchymal cells in response to Fgf8 and Shh signaling. Our results indicate that several distinct LIM-HD transcription factors in conjunction with their Ldb1 co-factor serve as common central integrators of distinct signaling interactions and feedback loops to coordinate limb patterning and outgrowth along the PD, AP and DV axes after limb bud formation.

A role of the LIM-homeobox gene Lhx2 in the regulation of pituitary development.

The mammalian pituitary gland originates from two separate germinal tissues during embryonic development. The anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary are derived from Rathkes pouch, a pocket formed by an invagination of the oral ectoderm. The posterior lobe is derived from the infundibulum, which is formed by evagination of the neuroectoderm in the ventral diencephalon. Previous studies have shown that development of Rathkes pouch and the generation of distinct populations of hormone-producing endocrine cell lineages in the anterior/intermediate pituitary lobes is regulated by a number of transcription factors expressed in the pouch and by inductive signals from the ventral diencephalon/infundibulum. However, little is known about factors that regulate the development of the posterior pituitary lobe. In this study, we show that the LIM-homeobox gene Lhx2 is extensively expressed in the developing ventral diencephalon, including the infundibulum and the posterior lobe of the pituitary. Deletion of Lhx2 gene results in persistent cell proliferation, a complete failure of evagination of the neuroectoderm in the ventral diencephalon, and defects in the formation of the distinct morphological features of the infundibulum and the posterior pituitary lobe. Rathkes pouch is formed and endocrine cell lineages are generated in the anterior/intermediate pituitary lobes of the Lhx2 mutant. However, the shape and organization of the pouch and the anterior/intermediate pituitary lobes are severely altered due to the defects in development of the infundibulum and the posterior lobe. Our study thus reveals an essential role for Lhx2 in the regulation of posterior pituitary development and suggests a mechanism whereby development of the posterior lobe may affect the development of the anterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary gland.

LIM-Homeobox Gene Lhx5 Is Required for Normal Development of Cajal–Retzius Cells

Cajal–Retzius (C-R) cells play important roles in the lamination of the mammalian cortex via reelin secretion. The genetic mechanisms underlying the development of these neurons have just begun to be unraveled. Here, we show that two closely related LIM-homeobox genes Lhx1 and Lhx5 are expressed in reelin+ cells in various regions in the mouse telencephalon at or adjacent to sites where the C-R cells are generated, including the cortical hem, the mantle region of the septal/retrobulbar area, and the ventral pallium. Whereas Lhx5 is expressed in all of these reelin-expressing domains, Lhx1 is preferentially expressed in the septal area and in a continuous domain spanning from lateral olfactory region to caudomedial territories. Genetic ablation of Lhx5 results in decreased reelin+ and p73+ cells in the neocortical anlage, in the cortical hem, and in the septal, olfactory, and caudomedial telencephalic regions. The overall reduction in number of C-R cells in Lhx5 mutants is accompanied by formation of ectopic reelin+ cell clusters at the caudal telencephalon. Based on differential expression of molecular markers and by fluorescent cell tracing in cultured embryos, we located the origin of reelin+ ectopic cell clusters at the caudomedial telencephalic region. We also confirmed the existence of a normal migration stream of reelin+ cells from the caudomedial area to telencephalic olfactory territories in wild-type embryos. These results reveal a complex role for Lhx5 in regulating the development and normal distribution of C-R cells in the developing forebrain.