CTCF-dependent chromatin architecture and SUZ12/PRC2 complex recruitment are required for peripheral myelination and repair

Chromatin organization is critical for cell growth, differentiation, and disease development, however, its functions in peripheral myelination and myelin repair remain elusive. Here we observed a global diminution of chromatin accessibility during Schwann cell differentiation and demonstrated that the chromatin organizer CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is critical for Schwann cell myelination and myelin regeneration after nerve injury. Inhibition of Ctcf or its deletion blocked Schwann cell differentiation at the pre-myelinating stage, whereas overexpression of CTCF promoted the myelination program. CTCF establishes the chromatin interaction loop between promoters and regulatory elements to promote expression of key pro-myelinogenic factors such as EGR2. In addition, CTCF interacts with SUZ12, a component of polycomb-repressive-complex 2, to repress expression of immature Schwann cell-associated regulators including HES1, RSPO2, and CALCA. Together, our findings reveal the dual role of CTCF-dependent chromatin organization in promoting myelinogenic programs and recruiting chromatin-repressive complexes to block differentiation inhibitors to control peripheral myelination and myelin repair.