Overexpression screen of chromosome 21 genes reveals modulators of Sonic hedgehog signaling relevant to Down syndrome

Anna J. Moyer, Fabian Xosé Fernandez, Yicong Li, Donna K. Klinedinst, Liliana D. Florea, Yasuhiro Kazuki, Mitsuo Oshimura, Roger H. Reeves

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Trisomy 21 and mutations in the Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway cause overlapping and pleiotropic phenotypes including cerebellar hypoplasia, craniofacial abnormalities, congenital heart defects and Hirschsprung disease. Trisomic cells derived from individuals with Down syndrome possess deficits in SHH signaling, suggesting that overexpression of human chromosome 21 genes may contribute to SHH-associated phenotypes by disrupting normal SHH signaling during development. However, chromosome 21 does not encode any known components of the canonical SHH pathway. Here, we sought to identify chromosome 21 genes that modulate SHH signaling by overexpressing 163 chromosome 21 cDNAs in a series of SHH-responsive mouse cell lines. We confirmed overexpression of trisomic candidate genes using RNA sequencing in the cerebella of Ts65Dn and TcMAC21 mice, model systems for Down syndrome. Our findings indicate that some human chromosome 21 genes, including DYRK1A, upregulate SHH signaling, whereas others, such as HMGN1, inhibit SHH signaling. Individual overexpression of four genes (B3GALT5, ETS2, HMGN1 and MIS18A) inhibits the SHH-dependent proliferation of primary granule cell precursors. Our study prioritizes dosage-sensitive chromosome 21 genes for future mechanistic studies. Identification of the genes that modulate SHH signaling may suggest new therapeutic avenues for ameliorating Down syndrome phenotypes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberdmm049712
JournalDMM Disease Models and Mechanisms
Volume16
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Aneuploidy
  • Down syndrome
  • Gene dosage effects
  • Genetic screen
  • Sonic hedgehog
  • Trisomy 21

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Neuroscience (miscellaneous)
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Immunology and Microbiology (miscellaneous)
  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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