Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42454502›Full record

ArticleJournal of molecular endocrinology2026

CRISPR activation of DLX5 drives neural progenitors to the GnRH cell fate.

Shrinidhi Madhusudan, Nazli Eskici, Celia Gomez-Sanchez, Kristiina Pulli, Kirsi Vaaralahti, Venkatram Yellapragada, James R W Conway, Yafei Wang, Taneli Raivio

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of molecular endocrinology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Shrinidhi MadhusudanStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.ORCID 0009-0004-7040-813X
Nazli EskiciStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Celia Gomez-SanchezStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Kristiina PulliStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Kirsi VaaralahtiStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Venkatram YellapragadaTurku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University , Turku, Finland.
James R W ConwayDepartment of Biochemistry and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Yafei WangStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
Taneli RaivioStem Cells and Metabolism Research Program (STEMM), Research Programs Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and are required for puberty onset and reproductive competence. However, the transcriptional regulators governing GnRH neuron specification and migration remain poorly defined. The homeodomain transcription factor DLX5 is expressed in fetal human GnRH neurons, its expression precedes that of GNRH1 in human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived GnRH neurons, and in mice, it serves as a guidance cue for GnRH neuron migration. We hypothesized that DLX5 may act as an upstream regulator of human GnRH neuron fate specification and migratory capacity. Using CRISPR activation, we upregulated DLX5 during FGF8b-directed differentiation of hPSCs to GnRH neurons via dual SMAD inhibition and Notch inhibition, as previously described. DLX5 activation increased neural progenitor motility (P < 0.001), upregulated FGF8 (P < 0.05), and induced GABAergic markers, including GAD1 and GAD2. Notably, DLX5 activation induced GNRH1 in the absence of exogenous FGF8b (P < 0.05), suggesting that in GnRH neurons, DLX5 regulates FGF8. When combined with exogenous FGF8b, DLX5 activation produced distinct neuronal patterning accompanied by upregulation of extracellular matrix genes, such as SPARC, which has been implicated in neurite outgrowth. Collectively, these data indicate that activation of DLX5 promotes GnRH neurogenesis from hPSCs, by driving GABAergic fate, inducing FGF8, and remodeling the extracellular matrix.

Indexed as

Cell LineageCRISPR-Cas SystemsGonadotropin-Releasing HormoneHomeodomain ProteinsNeural Stem CellsAnimalsCell DifferentiationCell MovementFibroblast Growth Factor 8HumansHypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal AxisMiceNeuronsTranscription FactorsDistal-less homeobox proteinsFibroblast Growth Factor 8Gonadotropin-Releasing HormoneHomeodomain ProteinsTranscription FactorsCRISPRDLX5GnRH neuronsmotility

Identifiers

PMID42454502
PMCPMC13400967

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.