Id1 Promotes Clonal Hematopoiesis in Mice with Tet2 Loss of Function

Abstract

Hematopoietic malignancies emerge through the gradual acquisition of genetic mutations within hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Mutations that occur early in disease progression impart a selective growth advantage to HSPCs, which allows them to expand and contribute to a substantial percentage of mature blood cells. This increased expansion is termed clonal hematopoiesis (CH) and is a preleukemic phase associated with an increased risk of developing leukemia. Inhibitor of DNA binding 1 (ID1) protein is a transcriptional regulator of proliferation/differentiation of neuronal, muscle, hematopoietic and other cells, and is frequently overexpressed in cancer. Id1 is expressed at low levels in normal HSCs and is induced by growth factors and other mediators of inflammatory stress and promotes HSPC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Since chronic inflammation is associated with the progression of hematopoietic malignancies, reducing Id1 expression during CH may be therapeutic. Mutations in TET2 are frequently observed in patients with CH, and Tet2-/-mice develop CH that progress to hematopoietic malignancies. Id1 is upregulated in murine Tet2-/- HSPCs and in AML, CMML and MDS patient samples with TET2 mutations. Genetic ablation of Id1 in Tet2-/- HSPCs reduces HSPC expansion/self-renewal/CH, extramedullary hematopoiesis, myeloid skewing, genetic instability and delays the onset of disease. Mechanistically, p16 expression, senescence and apoptosis were increased and proliferation decreased in Tet2-/-; Id1-/- HSPCs. Thus, ID1 may represent a potential therapeutic target to reduce CH, hematopoietic hyperplasia, and delay the onset of disease. One Sentence SummaryGenetic ablation of Id1 in Tet2-/- mice rescues clonal hematopoiesis by increasing CDKI expression, apoptosis, senescence, and differentiation, and reducing cell growth.