Base-resolution DNA methylome of human MDS hematopoietic stem cell reveals TET2-GFI1 epigenetic axis repressing MDS

Abstract

Dysfunctional hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) drive the initiation of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), yet the genome-wide DNA methylation landscape in MDS primitive HSCs and its mechanistic contribution to disease pathogenesis remain poorly defined. Here, we establish single-base resolution DNA methylomes of bone marrow HSCs from MDS patients and healthy donors. We uncover widespread hypermethylation within CpG islands, alongside hypomethylation in repetitive elements such as Alu. Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are enriched for genes involved in cancer-related pathways, as well as extrinsic signaling pathways and intrinsic transcriptional networks essential for HSC function. Among these, we identify GFI1 and BMI1 as key targets of DNA methylation dysregulation in MDS. Notably, using either MDS or Tet2-deficient mouse model, we demonstrate that loss of Tet2, a frequently mutated epigenetic regulator in MDS, induces promoter hypermethylation and transcriptional repression of Gfi1, contributing to expansion of the MDS or aged hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell pool. Our study not only charts the base-resolution DNA methylome of human MDS HSCs but also reveals a TET2-GFI1 axis that safeguards HSC homeostasis. These findings provide mechanistic insight into how aberrant DNA methylation drives HSC dysfunction in MDS and offer an epigenomic resource for discovering novel regulators and therapeutic targets at the stem cell level.