CoupTFI interacts with retinoic acid signaling during cortical development

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e58219. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058219. Epub 2013 Mar 5.

Abstract

We examined the role of the orphan nuclear hormone receptor CoupTFI in mediating cortical development downstream of meningeal retinoic acid signaling. CoupTFI is a regulator of cortical development known to collaborate with retinoic acid (RA) signaling in other systems. To examine the interaction of CoupTFI and cortical RA signaling we utilized Foxc1-mutant mice in which defects in meningeal development lead to alterations in cortical development due to a reduction of RA signaling. By analyzing CoupTFI(-/-);Foxc1(H/L) double mutant mice we provide evidence that CoupTFI is required for RA rescue of the ventricular zone and the neurogenic phenotypes in Foxc1-mutants. We also found that overexpression of CoupTFI in Foxc1-mutants is sufficient to rescue the Foxc1-mutant cortical phenotype in part. These results suggest that CoupTFI collaborates with RA signaling to regulate both cortical ventricular zone progenitor cell behavior and cortical neurogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COUP Transcription Factor I / metabolism*
  • Cerebral Cortex / embryology*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Genotype
  • Meninges / embryology
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Neurogenesis / physiology
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stem Cells / cytology
  • Time Factors
  • Tretinoin / metabolism*

Substances

  • COUP Transcription Factor I
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxc1 protein, mouse
  • Tretinoin