| Experiment Id | GSE181358 | Name | Mutation of the EPHA2 tyrosine-kinase domain dysregulates cell pattern formation and cytoskeletal gene expression in the lens |
| Experiment Type | RNA-Seq | Study Type | WT vs. Mutant |
| Source | GEO | Curation Date | 2022-07-11 |
| description | Genetic variations in ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EPHA2) have been associated with inherited and age-related forms of cataract in humans. Here we have characterized the eye lens phenotype and transcript profile of germline Epha2 knock-in mutant mice homozygous for either a missense variant associated with age-related cataract in humans (Epha2-Q722) or a novel insertion-deletion mutation (Epha2-indel722) that were both located within the tyrosine-kinase domain of EPHA2. Whole-mount confocal imaging of clear lenses from Epha2-indel722 mice on a fluorescent reporter background revealed misalignment of epithelial-to-fiber cell meridional-rows at the lens equator and severe disturbance of Y-suture formation at the lens poles, whereas, Epha2-Q722 lenses displayed mild disturbance of posterior sutures. Immunofluorescent labeling showed that EPHA2 was mostly localized to lens fiber cell membranes with some sub-membrane localization observed in Epha2-Q722 lenses and diffuse membrane and perinuclear localization in Epha2-indel722 lenses. Immunoprecipitation/blotting studies indicated that EPHA2 formed strong complexes with Src kinase but not with catenin beta 1 or cadherin 2 and was mostly serine phosphorylated in the lens. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed differential expression of several cytoskeleton-associated genes in Epha2-mutant and Epha2-null lenses including strong downregulation of Lgsn and Clic5. Collectively, our data suggest that mutations within the tyrosine-kinase domain of EPHA2 result in lens cell patterning defects and dysregulated expression of several cytoskeletal proteins. mRNA profiles from seven day old lenses of wild type (WT), EPHA2 null, and EPHA2 mutant mice |
