HOXA10 is a critical regulator for hematopoietic stem cells and erythroid/megakaryocyte development.
The Homeobox (Hox) transcription factors are important regulators of normal and malignant hematopoiesis because they control proliferation, differentiation, and self-renewal of hematopoietic cells at different levels of the hematopoietic hierarchy. In transgenic mice we show that the expression of HOXA10 is tightly regulated by doxycycline. Intermediate concentrations of HOXA10 induced a 15-fold increase in the repopulating capacity of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) after 13 days of in vitro culture. Notably, the proliferation induction of HSC by HOXA10 was dependent on the HOXA10 concentration, because high levels of HOXA10 had no effect on HSC proliferation. Furthermore, high levels of HOXA10 blocked erythroid and megakaryocyte development, demonstrating that tight regulation of HOXA10 is critical for normal development of the erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages. The HOXA10-mediated effects on hematopoietic cells were associated with altered expression of genes that govern stem-cell self-renewal and lineage commitment (eg, hepatic leukemia factor [HlF], Dickkopf-1 [Dkk-1], growth factor independent-1 [Gfi-1], and Gata-1). Interestingly, binding sites for HOXA10 were found in HLF, Dkk-1, and Gata-1, and Dkk-1 and Gfi-1 were transcriptionally activated by HOXA10. These findings reveal novel molecular pathways that act downstream of HOXA10 and identify HOXA10 as a master regulator of postnatal hematopoietic development.
Magnusson
Mattias
M
Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University Hospital, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
Brun
Ann C M
AC
Miyake
Noriko
N
Larsson
Jonas
J
Ehinger
Mats
M
Bjornsson
Jon Mar
JM
Wutz
Anton
A
Sigvardsson
Mikael
M
Karlsson
Stefan
S
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000080905:Homeobox A10 Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000080905:Homeobox A10 Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C092119:Hoxa10 protein, mouse; D013752:Tetracycline