Genome-wide chromatin-immunoprecipitation studies of sympathetic neurons reveals critical direct targets of ISL1 and suggests potential co-factor families for ISL1 action in sympathetic neurons

Understanding factors that drive development of the sympathetic neuron is crucial to development of potential therapies for neuroblastoma. Here, we identify a key cell autonomous role for the LIM homeodomain transcription factor ISL1 for survival, proliferation and differentiation of sympathetic neurons throughout development. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays performed utilizing antibody to ISL1 in chromatin extracts from sympathetic neurons demonstrated that ISL1 directly binds genomic regions within several genes critical for sympathetic neuron development and function, including subunits of the Insm1, Lmo1,Tlx3 and Prox1. Our studies represent in vivo ChIP-seq studies for sympathetic neurons which provide a basis for further exploration of factors critical to sympathetic neurons development and function . ISL1 ChIP-seq profiling was performed in sympathetic neurons from E12.5-14.5 Embryos .