Tailless and hypoxia inducible factor-2α cooperate to sustain proangiogenic states of retinal astrocytes in neonatal mice

Tailless (TLX, an orphan nuclear receptor) and hypoxia inducible factor-2α (HIF2α) are both essential for retinal astrocyte and vascular development. Tlx(−/−) mutation and astrocyte specific Hif2α disruption in Hif2α(f/f)/GFAPCre mice are known to cause defective astrocyte development and block vascular development in neonatal retinas. Here we report that TLX and HIF2α support retinal angiogenesis by cooperatively maintaining retinal astrocytes in their proangiogenic states. While Tlx(+/−) and Hif2α(f/+)/GFAPCre mice are phenotypically normal, Tlx(+/−)/Hif2α(f/+)/GFAPCre mice display precocious retinal astrocyte differentiation towards non-angiogenic states, along with significantly reduced retinal angiogenesis. In wild-type mice, TLX and HIF2α coexist in the same protein complex, suggesting a cooperative function under physiological conditions. Furthermore, astrocyte specific disruption of Phd2 (prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2), a manipulation previously shown to cause HIF2α accumulation, did not rescue retinal angiogenesis in Tlx(−/−) background, which suggests functional dependence of HIF2α on TLX. Finally, the expression of fibronectin and VEGF-A is significantly reduced in retinal astrocytes of neonatal Tlx(+/−)/Hif2α(f/+)/GFAPCre mice. Overall, these data indicate that TLX and HIF2α cooperatively support retinal angiogenesis by maintaining angiogenic potential of retinal astrocytes.