Hif-2α is not essential for cell-autonomous hematopoietic stem cell maintenance

Abstract

Local hypoxia in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niches is thought to regulate HSC functions. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (Hif-1) and Hif-2 are key mediators of cellular responses to hypoxia. Although oxygen-regulated α-subunits of Hifs, namely Hif-1α and Hif-2α, are closely related, they play overlapping and also distinct functions in nonhematopoietic tissues. Although Hif-1α-deficient HSCs lose their activity on serial transplantation, the role for Hif-2α in cell-autonomous HSC maintenance remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that constitutive or inducible hematopoiesis-specific Hif-2α deletion does not affect HSC numbers and steady-state hematopoiesis. Furthermore, using serial transplantations and 5-fluorouracil treatment, we demonstrate that HSCs do not require Hif-2α to self-renew and recover after hematopoietic injury. Finally, we show that Hif-1α deletion has no major impact on steady-state maintenance of Hif-2α-deficient HSCs and their ability to repopulate primary recipients, indicating that Hif-1α expression does not account for normal behavior of Hif-2α-deficient HSCs.