A gain-of-function mutation in Tnni2 impeded bone development through increasing Hif3a expression in DA2B mice

PLoS Genet. 2014 Oct 23;10(10):e1004589. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004589. eCollection 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Distal arthrogryposis type 2B (DA2B) is an important genetic disorder in humans. However, the mechanisms governing this disease are not clearly understood. In this study, we generated knock-in mice carrying a DA2B mutation (K175del) in troponin I type 2 (skeletal, fast) (TNNI2), which encodes a fast-twitch skeletal muscle protein. Tnni2K175del mice (referred to as DA2B mice) showed typical DA2B phenotypes, including limb abnormality and small body size. However, the current knowledge concerning TNNI2 could not explain the small body phenotype of DA2B mice. We found that Tnni2 was expressed in the osteoblasts and chondrocytes of long bone growth plates. Expression profile analysis using radii and ulnae demonstrated that Hif3a expression was significantly increased in the Tnni2K175del mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that both wild-type and mutant tnni2 protein can bind to the Hif3a promoter using mouse primary osteoblasts. Moreover, we showed that the mutant tnni2 protein had a higher capacity to transactivate Hif3a than the wild-type protein. The increased amount of hif3a resulted in impairment of angiogenesis, delay in endochondral ossification, and decrease in chondrocyte differentiation and osteoblast proliferation, suggesting that hif3a counteracted hif1a-induced Vegf expression in DA2B mice. Together, our data indicated that Tnni2K175del mutation led to abnormally increased hif3a and decreased vegf in bone, which explain, at least in part, the small body size of Tnni2K175del mice. Furthermore, our findings revealed a new function of tnni2 in the regulation of bone development, and the study of gain-of-function mutation in Tnni2 in transgenic mice opens a new avenue to understand the pathological mechanism of human DA2B disorder.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Arthrogryposis / genetics*
  • Arthrogryposis / physiopathology
  • Bone Development / genetics*
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Muscle Contraction / genetics
  • Mutation
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Sarcomeres / pathology
  • Transcription Factors / biosynthesis*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Troponin I / genetics*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Hif3a protein, mouse
  • Repressor Proteins
  • TNNI2 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Troponin I
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse
  • Calcium

Supplementary concepts

  • Distal arthrogryposis type 2B

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Ministry of Public Health to ZY (2012BA110801, 81061120527 and 2010-439); Ministry of Science and Technology to SG (2010CB944900,2011CB812700 and 2011CB964800); the National Natural Science Foundation of China to XZhu (81000780). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.