Systematic expression analysis of Hox genes at adulthood reveals novel patterns in the central nervous system

Forebrain; Hindbrain; Hox genes; In situ hybridization; Precerebellar nuclei; RT-qPCR; Sensory circuits; Article; Hox gene; C57BL mouse; Animals; Brain; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Genes, Homeobox; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neurons; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transcriptome

Abstract :

[en] Hox proteins are key regulators of animal development, providing positional identity and patterning information to cells along the rostrocaudal axis of the embryo. Although their embryonic expression and function are well characterized, their presence and biological importance in adulthood remains poorly investigated. We provide here the first detailed quantitative and neuroanatomical characterization of the expression of the 39 Hox genes in the adult mouse brain. Using RT-qPCR we determined the expression of 24 Hox genes mainly in the brainstem of the adult brain, with low expression of a few genes in the cerebellum and the forebrain. Using in situ hybridization (ISH) we have demonstrated that expression of Hox genes is maintained in territories derived from the early segmental Hox expression domains in the hindbrain. Indeed, we show that expression of genes belonging to paralogy groups PG2-8 is maintained in the hindbrain derivatives at adulthood. The spatial colinearity, which characterizes the early embryonic expression of Hox genes, is still observed in sequential antero-posterior boundaries of expression. Moreover, the main mossy and climbing fibres precerebellar nuclei express PG2-8 Hox genes according to their migration origins. Second, ISH confirms the presence of Hox gene transcripts in territories where they are not detected during development, suggesting neo-expression in these territories in adulthood. Within the forebrain, we have mapped Hoxb1, Hoxb3, Hoxb4, Hoxd3 and Hoxa5 expression in restricted areas of the sensory cerebral cortices as well as in specific thalamic relay nuclei. Our data thus suggest a requirement of Hox genes beyond their role of patterning genes, providing a new dimension to their functional relevance in the central nervous system. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Disciplines :

Neurology

Author, co-author :

Hutlet, B.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Theys, N.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Coste, Cécile ; Université de Liège - ULiège

Ahn, M.-T.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Doshishti-Agolli, K.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Lizen, B.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Gofflot, F.; Institut des Sciences de la Vie, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, 1348, Belgium

Language :

English

Title :

Systematic expression analysis of Hox genes at adulthood reveals novel patterns in the central nervous system

Publication date :

2016

Journal title :

Brain Structure and Function

ISSN :

1863-2653

eISSN :

1863-2661

Publisher :

Springer, Berlin, Germany

Volume :

221

Issue :

Pages :

1223-1243

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 31 March 2021

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