Loss of INPP5E affects photoreceptor outer segment membrane biogenesis in iPSC-derived human retinal organoids

Mutations in the ciliary gene INPP5E, encoding inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase E (INPP5E), can cause retinal degeneration as part of the ciliopathy Joubert syndrome or non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP). INPP5E regulates the membrane makeup of the primary cilium; however, its function in the specialized sensory photoreceptor cells of the human retina remain unclear. Here, we utilize control and CRISPR/Cas9-generated INPP5E knockout (INPP5ED477N/D477N) human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate retinal organoids (ROs). Through proteomic and immunofluorescence analysis, we show that INPP5E plays an important role in early retinal development and photoreceptor progenitor cell differentiation. In mature ROs, INPP5E localizes to the connecting cilium of photoreceptors, and the loss of INPP5E leads to altered localization of ARL13B and rhodopsin in mature photoreceptors. Furthermore, photoreceptor outer segment structure is affected, leading to elongated outer segment membranes in both cone and rod photoreceptors, suggesting an important role for INPP5E in photoreceptor outer segment membrane biogenesis. Together, these data underline the importance of INPP5E in retina development and photoreceptor structure and highlight the usability of ROs to study protein function in a human context.