Zfx controls the self-renewal of embryonic and hematopoietic stem cells

Stem cells (SC) exhibit a unique capacity for self-renewal in an undifferentiated state. It is unclear whether the self-renewal of pluripotent embryonic SC (ESC) and of tissue-specific adult SC such as hematopoietic SC (HSC) is controlled by common mechanisms. The deletion of transcription factor Zfx impaired the self-renewal but not the differentiation capacity of murine ESC; conversely, Zfx overexpression facilitated ESC self-renewal by opposing differentiation. Furthermore, Zfx deletion abolished the maintenance of adult bone marrow HSC, but did not affect erythromyeloid progenitors or fetal HSC. In both ESC and HSC, Zfx activated a common set of direct target genes. In addition, the loss of Zfx resulted in the induction of immediate-early and/or stress-inducible genes in both SC types but not in their differentiated progeny. These studies identify the first shared transcriptional regulator of ESC and HSC, suggesting a common molecular basis of self-renewal in embryonic and adult SC.

8

Galan-Caridad JM, Harel S, Arenzana TL, Hou ZE, Doetsch FK, Mirny LA, Reizis B