Investigation of FoxO3 dynamics during erythroblast development in β-thalassemia major

PLoS One. 2017 Nov 3;12(11):e0187610. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187610. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

The FoxO3 transcription factor is a key regulator of oxidative stress and erythroid maturation during erythropoiesis. In this study, we explored the involvement of FoxO3 in severe β-thalassemia. Using primary CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells from patients with β-thalassemia major, we successfully developed an in vitro model of ineffective erythropoiesis. Based on this model, FoxO3 activity was quantified in single cells using high throughput imaging flow cytometry. This study revealed a significant reduction of FoxO3 activity during the late stage of erythroblast differentiation in β-thalassemia, in contrast to erythropoiesis in normal cells that maintain persistent activation of FoxO3. In agreement with the decreased FoxO3 activity in β-thalassemia, the expression of FoxO3 target genes was also found to decrease, concurrent with elevated phosphorylation of AKT, most clearly at the late stage of erythroid differentiation. Our findings provide further evidence for the involvement of FoxO3 during terminal erythropoiesis and confirm the modulation of the PI3K/AKT pathway as a potential therapeutic strategy for β-thalassemia.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Differentiation
  • Erythroblasts / metabolism*
  • Erythroblasts / pathology
  • Forkhead Box Protein O3 / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • beta-Thalassemia / metabolism
  • beta-Thalassemia / pathology*

Substances

  • FOXO3 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein O3
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Thailand Center of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) (TC 21/59) and the Research Chair Grant, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand (P-11-00435). Merck Ltd (Thailand) provided support in the form of salaries for Savichaya Pornpaiboonstid. All funders did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.