Growth cone localization of the mRNA encoding a chromatin regulator modulates neurite outgrowth

Neurons exploit local mRNA translation and retrograde transport of transcription factors to regulate gene expression in response to signaling events at distal neuronal ends. Whether epigenetic factors could also be involved in such regulation is not known. We report that the mRNA encoding the HMGN5 chromatin binding protein localizes to growth cones of both neuronal-like cells and of hippocampal neurons, where it has the potential to be translated, and that HMGN5 can be retrogradely transported into the nucleus along neurites. Loss of HMGN5 function induces transcriptional changes and impairs neurite outgrowth while HMGN5 overexpression induces neurite outgrowth and chromatin decompaction. Interestingly, control of both neurite outgrowth and chromatin structure is dependent on growth cone localization of Hmgn5 mRNA. Our results provide the first evidence that mRNA localization and local translation might serve as a mechanism to couple the dynamic neuronal outgrowth process with chromatin regulation in the nucleus.