Runx2-Twist1 interaction coordinates cranial neural crest guidance of soft palate myogenesis

  1. Xia Han
  2. Jifan Feng
  3. Tingwei Guo
  4. Yong-Hwee Eddie Loh
  5. Yuan Yuan
  6. Thach-Vu Ho
  7. Courtney Kyeong Cho
  8. Jingyuan Li
  9. Junjun Jing
  10. Eva Janeckova
  11. Jinzhi He
  12. Fei Pei
  13. Jing Bi
  14. Brian Song
  15. Yang Chai  Is a corresponding author
  1. Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
  2. USC Libraries Bioinformatics Services, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
7 figures, 1 table and 1 additional file

Figures

Figure 1 with 3 supplements
Analysis of distinct populations of cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived mesenchymal cells in the soft palate during development.

(A) UMAP plot integration analysis of mouse soft palate cells from E13.5, E14.5, and E15.5 based on clusters (left) and different developmental stages (right). (B) DotPlot of signature genes in …

Figure 1—figure supplement 1
Identification and characterization of different cellular populations in the soft palate from E13.5 to E15.5.

(A) Different types of cells were identified in the soft palate region, including cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived mesenchymal cells (Meox1+, Dlx5+), myogenic cells (Myod1+, Myf5+), neuronal cells …

Figure 1—figure supplement 2
Hic1 and Tbx15 are expressed in cells surrounding other craniofacial muscles adjacent to the levator veli palatini (LVP) region.

(A–E) RNAscope in situ analysis of Myod1 and perimysial markers Hic1 and Tbx15 on coronal sections of the LVP region from E13.5 to E14.5. MPC: Middle pharyngeal constrictor. TT: Tensor tympani …

Figure 1—figure supplement 3
Expression of perimysial markers in the hard palate region.

(A–C) RNAscope in situ analysis of Myod1 and early perimysial marker Aldh1a2 on coronal sections of the tongue of control mice from E12.5 to E14.5. (D–F) RNAscope in situ analysis of perimysial …

Figure 2 with 1 supplement
Runx2 is expressed in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived progenitors and perimysial cells during soft palate development.

(A) Individual UMAP clustering of CNC-derived mesenchymal and myogenic cells at three different embryonic stages (E13.5, E14.5, and E15.5) from integration analysis (top and middle panel). …

Figure 2—figure supplement 1
Cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells are heterogeneous and dynamic during soft palate development from E13.5 to E15.5.

(A) UMAP plots of CNC-derived cells from soft palate mesenchyme and myogenic cells at E13.5, E14.5, and E15.5. (B) UMAP clustering of CNC-derived cells from E13.5-E15.5 in the soft palate. Black …

Figure 3 with 4 supplements
Deletion of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells leads to craniofacial defects in the soft palate.

(A, B) Intraoral views of palates from control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at newborn stage (P0). Arrow indicates the cleft in the posterior part of the soft palate. (C–F) Sagittal (C–D) and …

Figure 3—figure supplement 1
Osr2-Cre specifically deletes Runx2 in the soft palate region.

(A–G) Immunostaining of Runx2 and RNAscope in situ hybridization of tdTomato with myogenic marker Myod1 on coronal sections of tensor veli palatini (TVP), levator veli palatini (LVP), and …

Figure 3—figure supplement 2
Deletion of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells gives rise to hard tissue defects in Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice.

(A, C, E, G) Isolated palatine bones and sphenoid bones from control (A,E) and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl (C, G) mice. (B, D, F, H) Coronal views of soft tissue microCT scans of newborn control (B,F) and Os…

Figure 3—figure supplement 3
Deletion of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells gives rise to soft palate defects in Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice.

(A–H) H and E staining of soft palate coronal sections from control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at P0. Yellow dashed lines outline the soft palatal muscles. Asterisks in G indicate the cleft soft …

Figure 3—figure supplement 4
Deletion of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells gives rise to aponeurosis defects in Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice.

(A–D) RNAscope in situ hybridization of Scx of coronal sections in the tensor veli palatini (TVP) region of P0 control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice. Scale bar in A indicates 100 µm for A and C. …

Figure 4 with 1 supplement
Loss of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells results in myogenic proliferation and differentiation defects of the levator veli palatini (LVP).

(A–B) MyoD and (C–D) MHC immunostaining on coronal sections of the LVP regions of control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at E14.5 and E15.5. Yellow dashed lines outline the myogenic cells. Boxed areas …

Figure 4—figure supplement 1
Loss of Runx2 in cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived cells results in myogenic differentiation but no apoptotic defects of the levator veli palatini (LVP).

(A–B) Immunostaining of BrdU and MyoD on coronal sections of the LVP regions of control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at E13.5. (C–D) Immunostaining of MHC on coronal sections of the LVP regions of …

Figure 5 with 2 supplements
Loss of Runx2 results in altered cell fate of cranial neural crest (CNC)-derived mesenchymal cells in the soft palate.

(A) Integration analysis of the soft palate regions of control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at E14.5. Left panel shows the integration analysis of control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl at E14.5. Right …

Figure 5—figure supplement 1
Expression of lineage-specific and general markers is altered in Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice.

(A–H) Expression of Runx2 and perimysial markers Hic1 (A–D) and Aldh1a2 (E–H) on coronal sections of the levator veli palatini (LVP) regions of control and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice at E14.5. Yellow …

Figure 5—figure supplement 2
Twist1 is expressed in the soft palate in a spatiotemporally specific manner.

(A) Co-expression of Twist1 and candidate progenitor marker Tfap2b, perimysial-specific marker Aldh1a2 and midline mesenchymal-specific marker Tbx22 in the integrated E13.5-E15.5 cranial neural …

Figure 6 with 1 supplement
Twist1 antagonizes Runx2 to regulate soft palate development.

(A) ATAC-seq peaks showing Twist1- and Runx2-binding sites are present in the opened regulatory regions near the Aldh1a2 locus in the soft palate tissue. (B–G) H and E staining of tensor veli …

Figure 6—figure supplement 1
Schematic depicts our model of the mechanism of soft palate development in control (left panel) and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice (right panel).

Loss of Runx2 results in upregulated expression of Twist1 and inhibits Aldh1a2 regulating retinoic acid secretion in the palatal mesenchyme, resulting in muscle defects. PS: Palatal shelf.

Author response image 1
Deletion of Runx2 in CNC-derived cells gives rise to hard tissue defects in Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl mice.

(A-C) Isolated palatine bones and sphenoid bones from control (A), Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl (B) and Osr2-Cre;Runx2fl/fl;Twist1fl/+ mice (C). Red dashed lines outline the pterygoid plate. Blue dashed …

Tables

Key resources table
Reagent type
(species) or resource
DesignationSource or referenceIdentifiersAdditional information
Strain, strain background (M. musculus)Runx2flox/floxTakarada et al., 2013
Strain, strain background (M. musculus)Twist1flox/floxBildsoe et al., 2009RRID:MMRRC_016842-UNC
Strain, strain background (M. musculus)ROSA26loxp-STOP-loxp-tdTomatoJackson LaboratoryStock No. 007905;
RRID:IMSR_JAX:007905
Strain, strain background (M. musculus)Osr2-CreRulang Jiang, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Sequence-based reagentMm-Myod1 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 316081
Sequence-based reagentMm-Scx probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 439981
Sequence-based reagentMm-Twist1 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 414701
Sequence-based reagentMm-Aldh1a2 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 447391
Sequence-based reagentMm-Hic1 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 464131
Sequence-based reagentMm-Tfap2b probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 536371
Sequence-based reagentMm-Tbx22 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 426511
Sequence-based reagentMm-Ibsp probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 415501
Sequence-based reagentMm-Col2a1 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 407221
Sequence-based reagentMm-Tbx15 probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 558761
Sequence-based reagentMm-Top2a probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 491221
Sequence-based reagentMm-tdTomato probeAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 317041
AntibodyRabbit monoclonal anti-Runx2Cell Signaling TechnologyRRID:AB_2732805
Cat# 12556S
(1:100)
AntibodyRabbit monoclonal anti-active Caspase 3Cell Signaling TechnologyRRID:AB_2341188
Cat# 9661S
(1:100)
AntibodyRat monoclonal anti-BrdUAbcamRRID:AB_305426
Cat# ab6326
(1:100)
AntibodyMouse monoclonal anti-MyoDDAKORRID:AB_2148874
Cat# M3512
(1:20)
AntibodyMouse monoclonal anti-MHCDSHBCat# P13538(1:10)
AntibodyGoat polyclonal anti-Mouse Alexa Fluor 488Life TechnologiesRRID:AB_2534069
Cat# A11001
(1:200)
AntibodyGoat polyclonal anti-Mouse Alexa Fluor 568Life TechnologiesRRID:AB_2534072
Cat# A-11004
(1:200)
AntibodyGoat polyclonal anti-Rat Alexa Fluor 488Life TechnologiesRRID:AB_141373
Cat# A-11006
(1:200)
AntibodyGoat polyclonal anti-Rabbit Alexa Fluor 488Life TechnologiesRRID:AB_143165
Cat# A-11008
(1:200)
AntibodyGoat polyclonal anti-Rabbit Alexa Fluor 568Life TechnologiesRRID:AB_10563566
Cat# A-11036
(1:200)
Commercial assay or kitAlexa Fluor 488 Tyramide SuperBoost Kit, goat anti-mouse IgGThermoFisher ScientificCat# B40912(1:200)
Commercial
assay or kit
RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescent Kit v2Advanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 323110
Commercial assay or kitRNAscope 2.5 HD Assay – REDAdvanced Cell DiagnosticsCat# 322350
Commercial assay or kitTSA Plus Cyanine 3 SystemPerkin ElmerCat# NEL744001KT
Commercial assay or kitTSA Plus Fluoresceine SystemPerkin ElmerCat# NEL771B001KT
Commercial assay or kitRNeasy Micro KitQIAGENCat# 74004
Commercial assay or kitDAB Peroxidase (HRP) Substrate Kit (With Nickel)Vector LaboratoriesRRID:AB_2336382
Cat# SK4100
Commercial assay or kitChromium Single Cell 30 GEM, Library and Gel
Bead Kit v3
10x Genomics IncCat#1000092
Software, algorithmImageJNIHRRID:SCR_003070
Software, algorithmIngenuity Pathway AnalysisQiagen.IncRRID:SCR_008653
Software, algorithmGraphPad PrismGraphPad SoftwareRRID:SCR_002798
Software, algorithmSeuratSatija labRRID:SCR_016341
Software, algorithmMonocle3Trapnell labRRID:SCR_018685
Software, algorithmCell ranger10X Genomics.IncRRID:SCR_017344
Software, algorithmBWAPMID:19451168;
PMID:20080505
RRID:SCR_010910
Software, algorithmMACSPMID:18798982RRID:SCR_013291

Additional files

Download links