Identification of Astrotactin2 as a Genetic Modifier That Regulates the Global Orientation of Mammalian Hair Follicles

Planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling controls the global orientation of surface structures, such as hairs and bristles, in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In Frizzled6 (-/-) (Fz6 (-/-)) mice, hair follicle orientations on the head and back are nearly random at birth, but reorient during early postnatal development to eventually generate a nearly parallel anterior-to-posterior array. We report the identification of a naturally occurring exon 5 deletion in Astrotactin2 (Astn2) that acts as a recessive genetic modifier of the Fz6 (-/-) hair patterning phenotype. A genetically engineered Astn2 exon 5 deletion recapitulates the modifier phenotype. In Fz6 (-/-) ;Astn2 (ex5del/del) mice, hair orientation on the back is subtly biased from posterior-to-anterior, leading to a 180-degree orientation reversal in mature mice. These experiments suggest that Astn2, an endosomal membrane protein, modulates PCP signaling.