Notch-Rbpj signaling is required for the development of noradrenergic neurons in mouse locus coeruleus

Abstract

The locus coeruleus (LC) is the main source of noradrenaline in the brain and is implicated in a broad spectrum of physiological and behavioral processes. However, genetic pathways controlling the development of noradrenergic neurons in the mammalian brain are largely unknown. We report here that Rbpj, a key nuclear effector in Notch signaling pathway, plays an essential role in the LC neuron development in the mouse. Conditional inactivation of Rbpj in the dorsal rhombomere (r) 1, where LC neurons are born, resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of Phox2a- and Phox2b-expressing early-differentiating LC neurons, and dopamine-β-hydroxylase- and tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing late-differentiating LC neurons. In contrast, other neuronal populations derived from the dorsal r1 were either reduced or unchanged. In addition, a drastic upregulation of Ascl1, an essential factor for noradrenergic neurogenesis, was observed in the dorsal r1 of the conditional knockout mice. Through genomic sequence analysis and EMSA and ChIP assays, a conserved Rbpj-binding motif was identified within the Ascl1 promoter. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that Rbpj per se could induce Ascl1 transactivation but this effect was counteracted by its downstream-targeted gene Hes1. Moreover, our in vitro gene transfection and in ovo electroporation assays showed that Rbpj upregulated Ascl1 expression when Hes1 expression was knocked down, though it also exerted a repressive effect on Ascl1 expression in the presence of Hes1. Thus, our results provide the first evidence that Rbpj functions as a key modulator of LC neuron development via regulating Ascl1 expression in a direct manner and as well as via an indirect way mediated by its targeted gene Hes1.