Gfi1 integrates progenitor versus granulocytic transcriptional programming.
In patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) and mice with growth factor independent-1 (Gfi1) loss of function, arrested myeloid progenitors accumulate, whereas terminal granulopoiesis is blocked. One might assume that Gfi-null progenitors accumulate because they lack the ability to differentiate. Instead, our data indicate that Gfi1 loss of function deregulates 2 separable transcriptional programs, one of which controls the accumulation and lineage specification of myeloid progenitors, but not terminal granulopoiesis. We demonstrate that Gfi1 directly represses HoxA9, Pbx1, and Meis1 during normal myelopoiesis. Gfi1-/- progenitors exhibit elevated levels of HoxA9, Pbx1 and Meis1, exaggerated HoxA9-Pbx1-Meis1 activity, and progenitor transformation in collaboration with oncogenic K-Ras. Limiting HoxA9 alleles corrects, in a dose-dependent manner, in vivo and in vitro phenotypes observed with loss of Gfi1 in myeloid progenitor cells but did not rescue Gfi1-/- blocked granulopoiesis. Thus, Gfi1 integrates 2 events during normal myeloid differentiation; the suppression of a HoxA9-Pbx1-Meis1 progenitor program and the induction of a granulopoietic transcription program.
Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH 45229, USA.
Shane R
SR
Horman
Chinavenmeni S
CS
Velu
Aditya
A
Chaubey
Tristan
T
Bourdeau
Jinfang
J
Zhu
William E
WE
Paul
Brian
B
Gebelein
H Leighton
HL
Grimes
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D042381:Granulocyte Precursor Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007938:Leukemia / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D000075064:Myeloid Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000075062:Pre-B-Cell Leukemia Transcription Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C079873:Gfi1 protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C000616392:Meis1 protein, mouse; D000075064:Myeloid Ecotropic Viral Integration Site 1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C481797:Pbx1 protein, mouse; D000075062:Pre-B-Cell Leukemia Transcription Factor 1; D014157:Transcription Factors; C097899:homeobox protein HOXA9