Oxysterol-liver X receptor signaling mediates CYFIP1 regulation of cortical neurogenesis

de la Fuente, D. C.; Tamburini, C.; Stonelake, E.; Griffiths, W. J.; Hall, J.; Owen, M. J.; Linden, D. E. J.; Pocklington, A.; Wang, Y.; Li, M.

doi:10.1101/2023.06.23.546272

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.06.23.546272

Oxysterol-liver X receptor signaling mediates CYFIP1 regulation of cortical neurogenesis

de la Fuente, D. C.·Tamburini, C.·Stonelake, E.·Griffiths, W. J.·Hall, J.·Owen, M. J.·Linden, D. E. J.·Pocklington, A.·Wang, Y.·Li, M.

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Dysregulation in neural progenitor proliferation and neuronal differentiation has been increasingly recognised as a common pathology in neural cells harboring genetic risks to neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remains largely unknown. Deletions and duplications of the 15q11.2 region containing the CYFIP1 gene have been associated with autism and schizophrenia. Using patient-derived iPSCs carrying 15q11.2 deletion and genetically manipulated hESCs with CYFIP1 gain- and loss-of-function (GoF and LoF), we show that 15q11.2 deletion and CYFIP1-LoF leads to premature neuronal differentiation while CYFIP1-GoF favours neural progenitor maintenance. We identified cholesterol biosynthesis and metabolism as a biological process disturbed by CYFIP1 dosage change, leading to altered neuro-oxysterol profiles. 24S,25-epoxycholesterol, which was decreased in CYFIP1-GoF and increased in CYFIP1-LoF and 15q11.2del neural cells, can mimic the 15q11.2del and CYFIP1-LoF phenotype by promoting cortical neuronal differentiation and restore the impaired neuronal differentiation of CYFIP1-GoF neural progenitors. Moreover, the neurogenic activity of 24S,25-epoxycholesterol is lost following genetic deletion of the brain expressed isoform of the liver X receptor LXRb while compound deletion of LXRb in CYFIP1-/- background rescued their premature neurogenesis. This work delineates LXR mediated oxysterol regulation of neurogenesis as a novel pathological mechanism in neural cells carrying 15q11.2CNV and provides a potential target for therapeutic strategies for genetic disorders associated with this risk locus.

Source connections

Published article ↗

Explore related subjects

neuroscience Preprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

de la Fuente, D. C., Tamburini, C., Stonelake, E., Griffiths, W. J., Hall, J., Owen, M. J., Linden, D. E. J., Pocklington, A., Wang, Y., Li, M.. 2023-06-26. Oxysterol-liver X receptor signaling mediates CYFIP1 regulation of cortical neurogenesis. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.23.546272

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

A Mechanistic Account of Dedifferentiation in the Aging Visual System

To uncover the mechanisms of age-related dedifferentiation, we simulated neural degradation in a computational model of the ventral visual stream. Severing connections or adding noise, whether in inferotemporal cortex (IT) or upstream, reduced IT differentiation, indicating that dedifferentiation need not originate locally. Degrading peripheral V1, which preferentially drove place-selective IT neurons, selectively reduced place differentiation, a candidate mechanism for the stronger place dedifferentiation reported in aging.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Reusing pipettes in Patch-seq: a foundation for automated multimodal profiling

Patch-seq is a technique for single-cell multimodal characterization. It combines whole-cell electrophysiology, single-cell transcriptomics, and morphological reconstruction in single neurons. Patch-seq morphologies are a critical bridge among cell types, genes, physiology, and large-scale connectivity platforms such as EM connectomes and single-cell-resolution projectomes. However, patch-seq experimental complexity and operator dependence limit throughput. Automation could enable scalable Patch-seq but requires procedural adaptations, including detergent-based pipette cleaning, robotic nucleus extraction and collection. The impact of these automations on Patch-seq quality has not been systematically evaluated. Here, we show that each of these modifications preserves or improves key Patch-seq outcomes. Automated nucleus extraction performs comparably to, or better than, expert manual operation, preserving key RNA and morphological metrics. Detergent-cleaned, reused pipettes supported a viable sealing success rate across multiple cleaning cycles and preserved electrophysiological quality and transcriptomic yield without introducing excess contamination. Sonication effectively allows collection of nuclear material without damaging RNA and supports subsequent pipette cleaning and reuse. Enhanced automated sealing and break-in procedures increased throughput regardless of brain region, cell type or species. Together, these results validate the core procedural adaptations required for automated Patch-seq and establish a foundation for high-throughput, standardized multimodal single-cell characterization.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Development of direction selectivity in the Xenopus tadpole optic tectum and midbrain tegmentum

Detecting motion direction is a fundamental function performed by direction selective (DS) neurons. DS neurons in the optic tectum (superior colliculus in mammals) enable the tracking of moving objects. DS neurons of the accessory optic system support reflexive eye / head movements that stabilize gaze during self-motion. By developmental stage 48 (10 days postfertilization), Xenopus tadpoles display visually guided behaviors that require both types of DS neurons. Our previous work has shown that these two regions are not only functionally distinct but also follow different developmental programs. Here we characterized and compared how direction selectivity develops in both visual processing centers. Using in vivo electrophysiological recordings during moving bar visual stimulation, we measured DS synaptic inputs and spiking outputs in both regions across three key developmental stages of the retinotectal projection. Tegmental neurons were direction selective ab initio, and both input and output tuning remained stable across development. Tectal neurons were observed to receive DS inputs early, and their input selectivity also remained stable across development. However, their spiking output grew substantially more DS at the later developmental stage. This was due at least in part to a naturally occurring decrease in intrinsic excitability which preferentially dampened overall spike rates, but especially in response to the non-preferred direction of motion, thereby increasing direction selectivity. These results reveal distinct developmental trajectories in parallel visual pathways. Tegmental direction selectivity is established early and stays stable, whereas tectal output tuning sharpens during development through a decrease in intrinsic excitability.

neuroscience↗