2024/11/06 by Yu-Sheng Wei, Hao-Ran Liu, Qian Yang +2
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Medicine · #Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation #Intraocular Surgery and Lenses #Ocular Disorders and Treatments
paper · doi:10.1159/000542447
crossref issued 2024/11/06 · crossref published 2024/11/06 · crossref published-online 2024/11/06 · openalex publication_date 2024/11/06 · crossref created 2024/11/06 · crossref deposited 2025/04/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11 · crossref indexed 2026/07/27
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to elucidate the role and molecular mechanisms of acidic leucine-rich nuclear phosphoprotein 32 kDa B (Anp32b) deficiency in ocular development. METHODS: We used constitutive C57BL/6-derived Anp32b-/- mice to elucidate the role of Anp32b in ocular development, including the phenotype and proportion of eye malformation in different genotypes. RNA-seq analysis and rescue experiments were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of Anp32b. RESULTS: Deletion of Anp32b contributes to severe defects in ocular development, including anophthalmia and microphthalmia. Moreover, Anp32b is highly expressed in the lens, and Anp32b-/- embryos with microphthalmia often exhibit severely impaired lens development. Mechanistically, ANP32B directly interacts with paired box protein 6 (PAX6), a master transcriptional regulator, and enhances its transcriptional activity. Overexpression of PAX6 partially but significantly reverses the inhibition of proliferation observed in ANP32B knockdown lens epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Anp32b deficiency suppresses ocular development by repressing Pax6 and identify that Anp32b is a viable therapeutic target for ocular developmental defects.