Cell Reports (Oct 2023)

ALKBH5 modulates hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell energy metabolism through m6A modification-mediated RNA stability control

  • Yimeng Gao,
  • Joshua T. Zimmer,
  • Radovan Vasic,
  • Chengyang Liu,
  • Rana Gbyli,
  • Shu-Jian Zheng,
  • Amisha Patel,
  • Wei Liu,
  • Zhihong Qi,
  • Yaping Li,
  • Raman Nelakanti,
  • Yuanbin Song,
  • Giulia Biancon,
  • Andrew Z. Xiao,
  • Sarah Slavoff,
  • Richard G. Kibbey,
  • Richard A. Flavell,
  • Matthew D. Simon,
  • Toma Tebaldi,
  • Hua-Bing Li,
  • Stephanie Halene

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 42, no. 10
p. 113163

Abstract

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Summary: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification controls numerous cellular processes. To what extent these post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms play a role in hematopoiesis has not been fully elucidated. We here show that the m6A demethylase alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) controls mitochondrial ATP production and modulates hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) fitness in an m6A-dependent manner. Loss of ALKBH5 results in increased RNA methylation and instability of oxoglutarate-dehydrogenase (Ogdh) messenger RNA and reduction of OGDH protein levels. Limited OGDH availability slows the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle with accumulation of α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and conversion of α-KG into L-2-hydroxyglutarate (L-2-HG). L-2-HG inhibits energy production in both murine and human hematopoietic cells in vitro. Impaired mitochondrial energy production confers competitive disadvantage to HSPCs and limits clonogenicity of Mll-AF9-induced leukemia. Our study uncovers a mechanism whereby the RNA m6A demethylase ALKBH5 regulates the stability of metabolic enzyme transcripts, thereby controlling energy metabolism in hematopoiesis and leukemia.

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