Regulation of Dendrite and Dendritic Spine Formation by TCF20

Mutations in the Transcription Factor 20 (TCF20) have been identified in patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), intellectual disabilities (IDs), and other neurological issues. Recently, a new syndrome called TCF20-associated neurodevelopmental disorders (TAND) has been described, with specific clinical features. While TCF20's role in the neurogenesis of mouse embryos has been reported, little is known about its molecular function in neurons. In this study, we demonstrate that TCF20 is expressed in all analyzed brain regions in mice, and its expression increases during brain development but decreases in muscle tissue. Our findings suggest that TCF20 plays a central role in dendritic arborization and dendritic spine formation processes. RNA sequencing analysis revealed a downregulation of pre- and postsynaptic pathways in TCF20 knockdown neurons. We also found decreased levels of GABRA1, BDNF, PSD-95, and c-Fos in total homogenates and in synaptosomal preparations of knockdown TCF20 rat cortical cultures. Furthermore, synaptosomal preparations of knockdown TCF20 rat cortical cultures showed significant downregulation of GluN2B and GABRA5, while GluA2 was significantly upregulated. Overall, our data suggest that TCF20 plays an essential role in neuronal development and function by modulating the expression of proteins involved in dendrite and synapse formation and function.