Interplay Between Histone Methyltransferases Ezh2 And G9a Regulates Retinal Ganglion Cell Gene Expression During Development

Purpose: Epigenetic modifications play critical roles in mediating the proliferation and differentiation of retinal cells. We showed previously that both histone methyltransferases (HMTases) G9a and Ezh2 are transiently expressed in the retina during the perinatal period and highly enriched in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). However, selective inactivation of Ezh2 alone does not affect RGC development or function. We therefore investigated whether Ezh2 and G9a work in conjunction to regulate RGC gene expression and maturation.Methods: Mice carrying targeted deletion of Ezh2 and/or G9a (mEzh2-/-, mG9a-/-, mEzh2-/-G9a+/-, and mEzh2-/-G9a-/-) in RGC progenitors driven by Math5-Cre (induces gene deletion in~ 50% of RGCs) were generated. H3K27me3 depositions were detected by immunofluorescence staining. RGC counts were carried out in retina flat-mounts of P0 mouse pups. Axon counts were …