Loss of Asxl1 disrupts telencephalic midline integrity through dysregulation of SIX3 target genes

Abstract

Mutations in the epigenetic regulator Additional sex combs like 1 (Asxl1) have been implicated in neurodevelopmental syndromes; however, its role in embryonic brain development remains poorly understood. Here, we report that Asxl1 knockout mice exhibit severe telencephalic midline defects, including agenesis of the corpus callosum, absence of the septum, and formation of a single cerebral ventricle. These phenotypes closely resemble those of Six3-deficient brains, suggesting a functional link between Asxl1 and Six3. Co-immunoprecipitation and domain mapping revealed that ASXL1 directly interacts with SIX3 via its N-terminal domain (residues 371–655). Integrated analysis of RNA-seq and CUT&RUN datasets identified 806 direct Six3 target genes, among which 66 showed concordant expression changes in Asxl1-deficient neural stem cells. Gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment in pathways related to epigenetic regulation and forebrain development. Further motif and peak enrichment analyses identified eight forebrain-associated genes—Cacna1g, Col22a1, Cox6a2, Csmd3, Dock5, Palmd, Slc2a10, and Vit—that were significantly upregulated in the absence of Asxl1, as confirmed by RT-qPCR. These results indicate that ASXL1 cooperates with SIX3 to regulate a shared set of neurodevelopmental genes, thereby maintaining telencephalic midline integrity. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of holoprosencephaly and related congenital brain malformations.