The developmental and genetic basis of 'clubfoot' in the peroneal muscular atrophy mutant mouse

J Martin Collinson, Nils O Lindström, Carlos Neves, Karen Wallace, Caroline Meharg, Rebecca H Charles, Zoe K Ross, Amy M Fraser, Ivan Mbogo, Kadri Oras, Masaru Nakamoto, Simon BArker, Suzanne Duce, Zosia Miedzybrodzka, Neil Vargesson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)
208 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Genetic factors underlying the human limb abnormality congenital talipes equinovarus (‘clubfoot’) remain incompletely understood. The spontaneous autosomal recessive mouse ‘peroneal muscular atrophy’ mutant (PMA) is a faithful morphological model of human clubfoot. In PMA mice, the dorsal (peroneal) branches of the sciatic nerves are absent. In this study, the primary developmental defect was identified as a reduced growth of sciatic nerve lateral motor column (LMC) neurons leading to failure to project to dorsal (peroneal) lower limb muscle blocks. The pma mutation was mapped and a candidate gene encoding LIM-domain kinase 1 (Limk1) identified, which is upregulated in mutant lateral LMC motor neurons. Genetic and molecular analyses showed that the mutation acts in the EphA4–Limk1–Cfl1/cofilin–actin pathway to modulate growth cone extension/collapse. In the chicken, both experimental upregulation of Limk1 by electroporation and pharmacological inhibition of actin turnover led to defects in hindlimb spinal motor neuron growth and pathfinding, and mimicked the clubfoot phenotype. The data support a neuromuscular aetiology for clubfoot and provide a mechanistic framework to understand clubfoot in humans.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberdev160093
JournalDevelopment (Cambridge, England)
Volume145
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 08 Feb 2018

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The developmental and genetic basis of 'clubfoot' in the peroneal muscular atrophy mutant mouse'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this