Cholesterol synthesis-related enzyme oxidosqualene cyclase is required to maintain self-renewal in primary erythroid progenitors

摘要

Objectives: Molecular mechanisms controlling cell fate decision making in self-renewing cells are poorly understood. A previous transcriptomic study, carried out in primary avian erythroid progenitor cells (T2ECs), revealed that the gene encoding oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC/LSS), an enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis, is significantly up-regulated in self-renewing cells. The aim of the present work is to understand whether this up-regulation is required for self-renewal maintenance and what are the mechanisms involved.