V-ATPase Regulates Retinal Progenitor Cell Proliferation During Eye Regrowth in Xenopus

The induction of retinal progenitor cell (RPC) proliferation is a strategy that holds promise for alleviating retinal degeneration. However, the mechanisms that can stimulate RPC proliferation during repair remain unclear. Xenopus tailbud embryos successfully regrow functional eyes within 5 days after ablation, and this process requires increased RPC proliferation. This model facilitates identification of mechanisms that can drive in vivo reparative RPC proliferation. This study assesses the role of the essential H⁺ pump, V-ATPase, in promoting stem cell proliferation. Pharmacological and molecular loss of function studies were performed to determine the requirement for V-ATPase during embryonic eye regrowth. The resultant eye phenotypes were examined using histology and antibody markers. Misexpression of a yeast H⁺ pump was used to test whether the requirement for V-ATPase in regrowth is dependent on its H⁺ pump function. V-ATPase inhibition blocked eye regrowth. Regrowth-incompetent eyes resulting from V-ATPase inhibition contained the normal complement of tissues but were much smaller. V-ATPase inhibition caused a significant reduction in reparative RPC proliferation but did not alter differentiation and patterning. Modulation of V-ATPase activity did not affect apoptosis, a process known to be required for eye regrowth. Finally, increasing H⁺ pump activity was sufficient to induce regrowth. V-ATPase is required for eye regrowth. These results reveal a key role for V-ATPase in activating regenerative RPC proliferation and expansion during successful eye regrowth.