Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation

Abstract Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is distinguished by depigmented patches of hair and skin, striking blue eyes and sensorineural hearing loss. Studies on alternative splicing (AS) in the abnormal pigmentation in skin in WS are currently poorly understood. In this study, we conducted comprehensive f...

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Main Authors: Wei Gong, Lu Ma, Zhili Feng, Xiangyao Zeng, Lile Ouyang, Yihan Hu, Xianlin Liu, Jie Wen, Xiaoming Kang, Yalan Liu, Hong Wu, Qiancheng Jing, Chufeng He, Yong Feng
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13359-8
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author Wei Gong
Lu Ma
Zhili Feng
Xiangyao Zeng
Lile Ouyang
Yihan Hu
Xianlin Liu
Jie Wen
Xiaoming Kang
Yalan Liu
Hong Wu
Qiancheng Jing
Chufeng He
Yong Feng
author_facet Wei Gong
Lu Ma
Zhili Feng
Xiangyao Zeng
Lile Ouyang
Yihan Hu
Xianlin Liu
Jie Wen
Xiaoming Kang
Yalan Liu
Hong Wu
Qiancheng Jing
Chufeng He
Yong Feng
author_sort Wei Gong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is distinguished by depigmented patches of hair and skin, striking blue eyes and sensorineural hearing loss. Studies on alternative splicing (AS) in the abnormal pigmentation in skin in WS are currently poorly understood. In this study, we conducted comprehensive full-length transcriptome sequencing analysis on abdominal skin tissues from mice harboring the Mitf p.R324del mutation and wild-type controls. Our analysis revealed 3619 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 1916 upregulated and 1703 downregulated. Notably, pigment-associated genes and related signaling pathways were significantly enriched. Additionally, we identified extensive AS events in the skin tissue of Mitf mutant mice, including 97 A3, 85 A5, 101 AF, 42 AL, 8 MX, 44 RI, and 184 SE events (P < 0.05), suggesting AS events may contribute to the pigment distribution patterns in Mitf p.R324del mutation mice. Furthermore, we observed downregulation of Dct, Mlana, and Snai2, which indicates that Mitf mutations disrupt neural crest cells into melanocytes, melanosome structure, and melanin biosynthesis. Overall, our results support that variation in gene expression and AS are important and complementary mechanisms governing pigmentation defects in WS.
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spelling doaj-art-e62d37216aee4d3292d0caf9139ebe492025-08-20T03:43:15ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-13359-8Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutationWei Gong0Lu Ma1Zhili Feng2Xiangyao Zeng3Lile Ouyang4Yihan Hu5Xianlin Liu6Jie Wen7Xiaoming Kang8Yalan Liu9Hong Wu10Qiancheng Jing11Chufeng He12Yong Feng13Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaInstitute of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaInstitute of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South UniversityDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Affiliated Changsha Central Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South ChinaAbstract Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is distinguished by depigmented patches of hair and skin, striking blue eyes and sensorineural hearing loss. Studies on alternative splicing (AS) in the abnormal pigmentation in skin in WS are currently poorly understood. In this study, we conducted comprehensive full-length transcriptome sequencing analysis on abdominal skin tissues from mice harboring the Mitf p.R324del mutation and wild-type controls. Our analysis revealed 3619 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 1916 upregulated and 1703 downregulated. Notably, pigment-associated genes and related signaling pathways were significantly enriched. Additionally, we identified extensive AS events in the skin tissue of Mitf mutant mice, including 97 A3, 85 A5, 101 AF, 42 AL, 8 MX, 44 RI, and 184 SE events (P < 0.05), suggesting AS events may contribute to the pigment distribution patterns in Mitf p.R324del mutation mice. Furthermore, we observed downregulation of Dct, Mlana, and Snai2, which indicates that Mitf mutations disrupt neural crest cells into melanocytes, melanosome structure, and melanin biosynthesis. Overall, our results support that variation in gene expression and AS are important and complementary mechanisms governing pigmentation defects in WS.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13359-8Full-length transcriptome sequencingWaardenburg syndromeMitfPigmentation
spellingShingle Wei Gong
Lu Ma
Zhili Feng
Xiangyao Zeng
Lile Ouyang
Yihan Hu
Xianlin Liu
Jie Wen
Xiaoming Kang
Yalan Liu
Hong Wu
Qiancheng Jing
Chufeng He
Yong Feng
Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
Scientific Reports
Full-length transcriptome sequencing
Waardenburg syndrome
Mitf
Pigmentation
title Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
title_full Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
title_fullStr Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
title_full_unstemmed Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
title_short Full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in Waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the Mitf R324del mutation
title_sort full length transcriptomic profiling reveals insights into the white coat phenotype in waardenburg syndrome mice harboring the mitf r324del mutation
topic Full-length transcriptome sequencing
Waardenburg syndrome
Mitf
Pigmentation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13359-8
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