The histone H3-lysine 4-methyltransferase Mll4 regulates the development of growth hormone-releasing hormone-producing neurons in the mouse hypothalamus

Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 11;12(1):256. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20511-7.

Abstract

In humans, inactivating mutations in MLL4, which encodes a histone H3-lysine 4-methyltransferase, lead to Kabuki syndrome (KS). While dwarfism is a cardinal feature of KS, the underlying etiology remains unclear. Here we report that Mll4 regulates the development of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH)-producing neurons in the mouse hypothalamus. Our two Mll4 mutant mouse models exhibit dwarfism phenotype and impairment of the developmental programs for GHRH-neurons. Our ChIP-seq analysis reveals that, in the developing mouse hypothalamus, Mll4 interacts with the transcription factor Nrf1 to trigger the expression of GHRH-neuronal genes. Interestingly, the deficiency of Mll4 results in a marked reduction of histone marks of active transcription, while treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor AR-42 rescues the histone mark signature and restores GHRH-neuronal production in Mll4 mutant mice. Our results suggest that the developmental dysregulation of Mll4-directed epigenetic control of transcription plays a role in the development of GHRH-neurons and dwarfism phenotype in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Dwarfism / metabolism
  • Embryo, Mammalian / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone / biosynthesis*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamus / cytology*
  • Hypothalamus / embryology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Models, Biological
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Phenylbutyrates / pharmacology
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Nrf1 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1
  • OSU-HDAC42 compound
  • Phenylbutyrates
  • Transcription Factors
  • Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • MLL4 protein, mouse