8650 Co-Localization Pattern of Snhg14 Long Noncoding RNA and Nhlh2 mRNA in Hypothalamus Coincides with Obesity and Endocrine Impairment Phenotypes in Prader-Willi Syndrome
Authors: Ariyanfar Shadi , Thompson Christopher K , Tobet Stuart , Good Deborah J 
Published: October 2024

Disclosure: S. Ariyanfar: None. C.K. Thompson: None. S. Tobet: None. D.J. Good: None.

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a multisystemic neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by biphasic symptoms, including diminished weight gain during development, along with neonatal hypotonia and failure to thrive, with later onset hyperphagia, severe weight gain, and morbid obesity. PWS arises from the deletion or inactivation of paternally inherited genes, with the smallest region encompassing a group of 30 small nucleolar RNAs ‘snoRNAs’ known as the SNORD116@ locus. SNORD116@ snoRNAs are cleaved from a larger long non-coding gene, SNHG14. Whole-body deletion of Nhlh2 in mice results in PWS-like phenotypes, such as later onset weight gain, and delayed puberty. We previously have shown that overexpression of Snord116-3 in a mouse hypothalamic cell line improves the stability of Nhlh2 mRNA, likely through a motif in the 3’ untranslated region of the Nhlh2 mRNA. This motif can be disrupted by the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism, confirming the mechanism of action. Nevertheless, to date, no published studies are showing the in vivo co-localization between Nhlh2 and Snord116 (or its host gene, Snhg14), and the question of where and when Snord116 snoRNAs interact with target mRNA Nhlh2 remains unanswered. To fill this gap, we mapped simultaneous expression of Snhg14 and Nhlh2 throughout the adult mouse brain, using quantitative RNA multi-plex in situ hybridization “RNAScope”. In our initial analysis, we focused on Pomc neurons of the hypothalamus as targeted deletion of Nhlh2 in these neurons results in obesity levels similar to that of the whole body deletion of Nhlh2, a present phenotype in PWS. Our data for the first time showed the co-expression of Nhlh2 and Snhg14 in Pomc neurons of Arcuate nucleus. In the analysis of 54 Pomc neurons, 72% and 39% were positive for Nhlh2 and Snhg14 expression respectively, with 39% of detected signals co-expressed in the same cell (correlation coefficient 0.78, P &lt; 0.0001). Interestingly, in neurons that only expressed Nhlh2 (33) there were nearly evenly distributed signals in the cytoplasm (9 cells) and nucleus (10 cells). When both Nhlh2 and Snhg14 messages were coexpressed, 17 of the 21 cells expressed Nhlh2 in the nucleus only (P &lt; 0.0003, P&lt; 0.0007 for the Likelihood ratio test and Chi-square test, respectively). Thus, based on the high magnification cell analysis, acquired 3D images, and probe location, we can conclude that the Snhg14 host transcript and Nhlh2 interact spatially. This new in vivo data supports the previously shown regulatory role for Snord 116 snoRNAs towards Nhlh2 mRNA stability and suggests that regulation may involve nuclear sequestration of Nhlh2. We are currently extending our studies to examine expression in the brains from patients with PWS and determine if energy balance signals affect co-localization patterns within the hypothalamus.

Presentation: 6/3/2024