Asxl1 loss in mice leads to microcephaly by regulating neural stem cell survival

Additional sex comb-like 1 (ASXL1) is a chromatin-associated factor essential for transcriptional regulation. De novo truncating mutations in the ASXL1 gene are linked to Bohring-Opitz syndrome, a developmental disorder characterized by microcephaly; however, the role of Asxl1 in brain development remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that Asxl1 deletion in mice induces microcephaly, primarily caused by a reduction in the size and number of cortical neurons. Asxl1 ablation disrupts neural stem cell (NSC) maintenance, as evidenced by decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. Transcriptomic analysis of Asxl1-deficient NSCs revealed 4,635 differentially expressed genes, including 2,262 upregulated and 2,373 downregulated genes. Gene ontology analysis indicated that Asxl1 regulates NSC survival through the histone methyltransferase Ezh2, a core component of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2). Inhibition of H3K27me3 using GSK343 significantly reduced the viability of wild-type NSCs, but had a markedly diminished effect on Asxl1-deficient NSCs. Furthermore, Ezh2 target genes associated with apoptosis, such as Epha7 and Osr1, were upregulated in wild-type NSCs following GSK343 treatment but not significantly affected in Asxl1-deficient NSCs. These findings establish Asxl1 as a critical regulator of NSC survival and neurogenesis via Ezh2-mediated chromatin modification and provide insights into the mechanisms underlying microcephaly in developmental disorders.