Transcriptional profiling defines unique subtypes of transit amplifying neural progenitors within the neonatal mouse subventricular zone

While significant progress has been made in understanding the heterogeneity of Neural Stem Cells (NSCs), our understanding of similar heterogeneity among the more abundant transit amplifying progenitors is lagging. Our work on the neural progenitors (NPs) of the neonatal subventricular zone (SVZ) began over a decade ago, when we used antibodies to the 4 antigens, CD133, LeX, CD140a, and NG2 to perform FACs to classify subsets of the neonatal SVZ as either multi-potential (MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4 and PFMPs), glial-restricted (GRP1, GRP2, and GRP3) or neuron-astrocyte restricted (BNAP). Using RNAseq, we have characterized the distinctive molecular fingerprints of 4 SVZ neural progenitors and compared their gene expression profiles to those of the NSCs. We performed bioinformatic analyses to provide insights into each NP type's unique interactome and the transcription factors regulating their development. Overall, we identified 1581 genes upregulated in at least one NP compared to the NSCs. Of these genes, 796 genes were upregulated in BNAP/GRP1 compared to NSCs; 653 in GRP2/MP3; 440 in GRP3; and 527 in PFMPs. One gene in particular that emerged from our analysis that can be used to distinguish the NPs from the NSCs is Etv1, also known as Er81. Also notable is that the neural stem cells downregulated cilia formation genes as they differentiated to become multipotential progenitors. Among the NPs, both PFMP and GRP3 subtypes differentially expressed genes related to neuron and oligodendrocyte development, including Matn4, Lhfpl3 and Olig2. GRP3s uniquely expressed Etv5, a transcription factor known to promote glial cell fate specification, while PFMPs uniquely expressed Lhx6, a transcription factor that regulates interneuron specification. PFMPs also expressed transcripts for olfactory receptors. Unlike the other NPs, the GRP1 and GRP2 NPs differentially expressed genes for proteins involved in immune function. The present work will serve as an important resource for investigators interested in further defining the transit amplifying progenitors of the mammalian SVZ.