Inherited resilience to clonal hematopoiesis by modifying stem cell RNA regulation

Somatic mutations that increase the fitness of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) drive their expansion in clonal hematopoiesis (CH) and predispose individuals to blood cancers. Population variation in the growth rate and potential of mutant clones suggests that genetic factors may confer resilience against CH. Here, we identified a noncoding regulatory variant, rs17834140-T, that protects against CH and myeloid malignancies by selectively down-regulating the RNA-binding protein MSI2 in HSCs. By modeling variant effects and mapping MSI2 binding targets, we uncovered an RNA network that maintains human HSCs and influences CH risk. Variant rs17834140-T was associated with slower CH expansion, and stem cell MSI2…

• HH
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: R01 DK103794, R01 HL146500, R01 CA292941, R33 CA278393, R01 CA265726