Transcriptional control of motor pool formation and motor circuit connectivity by the LIM-HD protein Isl2

Abstract

The fidelity of motor control requires the precise positional arrangement of motor pools and the establishment of synaptic connections between them. During neural development in the spinal cord, motor nerves project to specific target muscles and receive proprioceptive input from these muscles via the sensorimotor circuit. LIM-homeodomain transcription factors are known to play a crucial role in successively restricting specific motor neuronal fates. However, their exact contribution to limb-based motor pools and locomotor circuits has not been fully understood. To address this, we conducted an investigation into the role of Isl2, a LIM-homeodomain transcription factor, in motor pool organization. We found that deletion of Isl2 led to the dispersion of motor pools, primarily affecting the median motor column (MMC) and lateral motor column (LMC) populations. Additionally, hindlimb motor pools lacked Etv4 expression, and we observed reduced terminal axon branching and disorganized neuromuscular junctions in Isl2-deficient mice. Furthermore, we performed transcriptomic analysis on the spinal cords of Isl2-deficient mice and identified a variety of downregulated genes associated with motor neuron (MN) differentiation, axon development, and synapse organization in hindlimb motor pools. As a consequence of these disruptions, sensorimotor connectivity and hindlimb locomotion were impaired in Isl2-deficient mice. Taken together, our findings highlight the critical role of Isl2 in organizing motor pool position and sensorimotor circuits in hindlimb motor pools. This research provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing motor control and its potential implications for understanding motor-related disorders in humans.