Enhancer regulation of OSR2 in mandibular incisor agenesis susceptibility [CUT&Tag]

However, the genetic etiology of mandibular incisor agenesis (MIA) remains obscure. In this study, we conducted the first genome-wide association study on MIA in a Chinese population and identified an enhancer variant rs71514987 associated with an increased risk of MIA (odds ratio = 2.18, 95% confidence interval = 1.83-2.58, P = 3.62×10-19).

Functional characterization indicated that rs71514987 C allele reduced the binding affinity of GATA4 to the OSR2 promoter, leading to increased OSR2 expression via remote regulation. Notably, elevated OSR2 levels promoted cell proliferation but diminished cell differentiation, migration, and apoptosis capabilities in stem cells from human exfoliated eciduous teeth (SHED), as well as abnormal development of pharyngeal teeth in zebrafish models.