title: LGR5/GPR49 is implicated in motor neuron specification in nervous system.
abstract: The biological roles of stem cell marker LGR5, the receptor for the Wnt-agonistic R-spondins, for nervous system are poorly known. Bioinformatics analysis in normal human brain tissues revealed that LGR5 is closely related with neuron development and functions. Interestingly, LGR5 and its ligands R-spondins (RSPO2 and RSPO3) are specifically highly expressed in projection motor neurons in the spinal cord, brain stem and cerebral. Inhibition of Notch activity in neural stem cells (NSCs) increased the percentage of neuronal cells and promoted LGR5 expression, while activation of Notch signal decreased neuronal cells and inhibited the LGR5 expression. Furthermore, knockdown of LGR5 inhibited the expression of neuronal markers MAP2, NeuN, GAP43, SYP and CHRM3, and also reduced the expression of genes that program the identity of motor neurons, including Isl1, Lhx3, PHOX2A, TBX20 and NEUROG2. Our data demonstrated that LGR5 is highly expressed in motor neurons in nervous system and is involved in their development by regulating transcription factors that program motor neuron identity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Hinan Branch of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Haitang Harbor, Sanya, Hainan Province 572013, China. Electronic address: sjsong254@163.com.
authors.forename: Shao-jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China. Electronic address: xgmao@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Xing-gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, PLA 254 Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: An-guo
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C116884:LGR5 protein, human; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
keywords: Bioinformatics; GPR49; Motor neuron differentiation; Neural stem cell; Notch; WNT