CHCHD2 is down-regulated in neuronal cells differentiated from iPS cells derived from patients with lissencephaly

• Human iPS cells have been established from two patients with lissencephaly.
• Whole gene expression was analyzed using differentiated iPS cells from patients.
• CHCHD2 is commonly reduced in iPS cells from two patients with lissencephaly.
• Histopathology confirmed the expressions of CHCHD2 in the fetal brain.
• The results indicate functional relevance of CHCHD2 to neuronal migration.

The human cerebral cortex is peculiar for a six-layered cellular-sheet structure with convolution, which is a consequence of neuronal migration. Dysfunctions of the pathways contributing to this mechanism typically lead to lissencephaly manifesting smooth brain surfaces. To investigate the unknown mechanism underlying neuronal migration disorders, we generated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from two patients with lissencephaly. Whole gene expression study for iPS cells derived from a patient with a LIS1 deletion showed reduced expression of the coiled-coil-helix-coiled-coil-helix domain containing 2 gene (CHCHD2), which was also confirmed in iPS cells derived from a patient with a TUBA1A mutation. CHCHD2 expression was detected in neuronal cells differentiated from normal iPS cells in a time-dependent manner, as well as in the brain of a fetus at 26–28 week gestational age, suggesting development-dependent expression. Migrating neuronal cells showed CHCHD2 expression, suggesting its functional relevance to neuronal migration.