Neural crest and periderm-specific requirements of Irf6 during neural tube and craniofacial development

IRF6 is a key genetic determinant of cleft lip and palate. The ability to interrogate post-embryonic requirements of Irf6 has been hindered, as global Irf6 ablation in the mouse causes neonatal lethality. Prior work analyzing Irf6 in mice defined its role in the embryonic surface epithelium and periderm, where it regulates cell proliferation and differentiation. Several reports have also described Irf6 expression in other cell types, such as muscle, and neuroectoderm. However, analysis of a functional role in non-epithelial cells has been incomplete due to the severity and lethality of the Irf6 knockout model and the paucity of work with a conditional Irf6 allele. Here we describe the generation and characterization of a new Irf6 floxed mouse model and analysis of Irf6 ablation in periderm and neural crest lineages. This work found that loss of Irf6 in periderm recapitulates a mild Irf6 null phenotype, suggesting that Irf6-mediated signaling in periderm plays a crucial role in regulating embryonic development. Further, conditional ablation of Irf6 in neural crest cells resulted in an anterior neural tube defect of variable penetrance. The generation of this conditional Irf6 allele allows for new insights into craniofacial development and new exploration into the post-natal role of Irf6.