CDK8 is a critical effector of cell fate dysregulation in SF3B1-mutant MDS

Mutations in RNA splicing factor SF3B1 are among the most common in MDS and are strongly associated with MDS with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS). While aberrant splicing of terminal erythroid regulators has been implicated in MDS pathogenesis, the impact of SF3B1 mutations on early hematopoietic progenitor function remains unclear. Here, we identify CDK8, a key kinase of the mediator complex involved in transcriptional regulation, as a recurrent mis-spliced target in SF3B1-mutant MDS. Mutant SF3B1 induces cryptic 3' splice site selection in CDK8, leading to loss of CDK8 mRNA and protein. Using primary human HSPCs, our study identifies CDK8 as an important regulator of HSPC homeostasis and cell fate determination. CDK8 depletion results in expansion of HSPCs and shifts differentiation toward the erythroid and myeloid lineages, mirroring phenotypes observed in SF3B1-mutant MDS. Lastly, functional restoration of CDK8 rescues early erythroid phenotypes in SF3B1-mutant cells. These findings implicate CDK8 mis-splicing as a mechanistic driver of altered progenitor fate and dysplasia in SF3B1-mutant MDS, linking aberrant splicing to transcriptional dysregulation and hematopoietic lineage commitment.