Scientific article
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BMAL1 modulates glutamine supply to control haematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion

Published inDevelopment, vol. 153, no. 8, dev204726
Publication date2026-04-15
First online date2026-04-14
Abstract

Following specification in the dorsal aorta, haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) proliferate in the HSPC niche, known as the caudal haematopoietic tissue (CHT) in zebrafish. Here, we demonstrate that bmal1a, a core component of the circadian clock machinery, is expressed in CHT endothelial cells (ECs) and affects HSPCs in a non-cell autonomous manner. Using endothelial cell-specific dominant-negative Bmal1a zebrafish lines, we demonstrate a striking increase in HSPC numbers in the CHT, resulting from enhanced HSPC proliferation. RNA-sequencing of dominant-negative bmal1a ECs sorted from the CHT shows a downregulation of glud1a, resulting in increased glutamine levels in the CHT. This newly discovered bmal1a-glud1a-glutamine pathway fuels HSPC expansion. We demonstrate that this glutamine synthesis pathway controlling HSPC expansion is likely conserved in the mouse fetal liver (FL) niche, in which hepatocytes are the likely source of glutamine. Together, our data uncover a previously unreported mechanism of HSPC homeostasis, in which EC BMAL1, expressed by the niche, controls the amount of bioavailable glutamine for HSPCs by regulating the expression of genes involved in glutamine synthesis.

Keywords
  • Endothelial cell
  • Expansion
  • Glutamine
  • HSPC
  • Mouse
  • Niche
  • Zebrafish
  • Animals
  • Glutamine / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / metabolism
  • Zebrafish / embryology
  • ARNTL Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • ARNTL Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Zebrafish Proteins / metabolism
  • Zebrafish Proteins / genetics
  • Mice
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Stem Cell Niche
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / embryology
Funding
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [TRR359 (491676693)]
  • Krebsliga Schweiz [KLS-4836-08-2019]
  • Ligue Genevoise Contre le Cancer [2106]
  • Fondation Privée des Hopitaux de Genève [RC05-03]
  • The Research Council of Norway - Qualifying for professional careers - stipendiat videreført etter at hovedprosjektet (197743 Qualifying for Professional Careers) avsluttes [228027]
  • European Commission - Regulation and relevance of circadian leukocyte dynamics for skin immune homeostasis [101001233]
  • Swiss National Science Foundation - Mechanisms governing rhythmicity in adaptive immune responses [182417]
Citation (ISO format)
PETZOLD, Tim et al. BMAL1 modulates glutamine supply to control haematopoietic stem and progenitor cell expansion. In: Development, 2026, vol. 153, n° 8, p. dev204726. doi: 10.1242/dev.204726
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Identifiers
Journal ISSN0950-1991
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