Temporal regulatory functions of EGR4 in neural development of mice
10.7644/j.issn.1674-9960.2025.06.006
- VernacularTitle:EGR4在小鼠神经发育中的时序调控功能解析
- Author:
Yawen LUO
1
;
Murong XU
;
Shuping ZHOU
;
Hao LI
;
Xiaochen BO
;
Hebing CHEN
Author Information
1. 军事科学院军事医学研究院,北京 100850
- Keywords:
temporal regulation;
single-cell multi-omics;
early growth response 4;
cortical neurons;
embryonic development
- From:
Military Medical Sciences
2025;49(6):437-442
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To study the dynamic regulatory role of early growth response 4(EGR4)in mouse neurodevelopment.Methods Data on single-cell chromatin accessibility(single-cell assay for transposase-accessible chromatin by sequencing,scATAC-seq)and transcriptome(single-cell RNA sequencing,scRNA-seq)from seven key stages spanning from the embryonic period to adulthood was collected and analyzed.The transcription factor binding site network was inferred,a quantitative analysis from a temporal perspective was conducted,its functional modules were parsed,and the results were visualized.Results egr4 was significantly highly expressed from the late embryonic stage to adulthood,and specifically activated during the maturation of inhibitory neurons[parvalbumin(PV)and somatostatin(SST)subtypes].Moreover,its transcription was not directly regulated by changes in chromatin accessibility.Temporal network analysis indicated that EGR4 became a regulatory hub in the late embryonic stage and drove neuron differentiation and subtype specification.Functional enrichment analysis showed that EGR4 regulated the"cell differentiation"pathway through dynamic interacting factors,and there were subtype-specific interaction modules in PV/SST neurons respectively.Conclusion EGR4 can participate in the late-stage maturation of cortical neurons through a stage-specific regulatory network.This study provides a new perspective on mechanisms underlying the temporal logic of neural development.
