Distinct Neuroblastoma-associated Alterations of PHOX2B Impair Sympathetic Neuronal Differentiation in Zebrafish Models
- Authors
- Pei, D., Luther, W., Wang, W., Paw, B.H., Stewart, R.A., and George, R.E.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-130709-42
- Date
- 2013
- Source
- PLoS Genetics 9(6): e1003533 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- George, Rani, Paw, Barry, Pei, Desheng, Stewart, Rodney A.
- Keywords
- Neuronal differentiation, Embryos, Zebrafish, Cell differentiation, Neurons, Frameshift mutation, Neuroblastoma, Hyperexpression techniques
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/genetics
- Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Cell Differentiation/genetics*
- ELAV Proteins/genetics
- ELAV Proteins/metabolism
- ELAV-Like Protein 3
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Heterozygote
- Homeodomain Proteins/genetics*
- Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
- Humans
- Neuroblastoma/genetics*
- Neuroblastoma/metabolism
- Neuroblastoma/pathology
- Neurogenesis*
- Neurons/cytology
- Neurons/metabolism
- Sympathetic Nervous System/cytology
- Sympathetic Nervous System/pathology
- Transcription Factors/genetics*
- Transcription Factors/metabolism
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Zebrafish/growth & development
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 23754957 Full text @ PLoS Genet.
Heterozygous germline mutations and deletions in PHOX2B, a key regulator of autonomic neuron development, predispose to neuroblastoma, a tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. To gain insight into the oncogenic mechanisms engaged by these changes, we used zebrafish models to study the functional consequences of aberrant PHOX2B expression in the cells of the developing sympathetic nervous system. Allelic deficiency, modeled by phox2b morpholino knockdown, led to a decrease in the terminal differentiation markers th and dbh in sympathetic ganglion cells. The same effect was seen on overexpression of two distinct neuroblastoma-associated frameshift mutations, 676delG and K155X - but not the R100L missense mutation - in the presence of endogenous Phox2b, pointing to their dominant-negative effects. We demonstrate that Phox2b is capable of regulating itself as well as ascl1, and that phox2b deficiency uncouples this autoregulatory mechanism, leading to inhibition of sympathetic neuron differentiation. This effect on terminal differentiation is associated with an increased number of phox2b+, ascl1+, elavl3 cells that respond poorly to retinoic acid. These findings suggest that a reduced dosage of PHOX2B during development, through either a heterozygous deletion or dominant-negative mutation, imposes a block in the differentiation of sympathetic neuronal precursors, resulting in a cell population that is likely to be susceptible to secondary transforming events.