CD99 promotes self-renewal in hematopoietic stem cells and leukemia stem cells by regulating protein synthesis

Y Yuanyuan Ji Y Yi Huang (Hubei Cancer Hospital Wuhan China) T Toby Thomas (Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine (T.T., Y.J., B.K., P.C., F.K., A.S., N.P., S.S.C.), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.) E Eda Gozel Kapti (1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX) R Reiko Tachibana (1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX) J Jacob Lark (1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX) I Iryna Berezniuk (Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine) L Liang Guo (Department of Chemistry) M Mohamed A. E. Ali K Karin Mims (1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX) B Benjamin Kroger (Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine (T.T., Y.J., B.K., P.C., F.K., A.S., N.P., S.S.C.), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.) W Wenhuo Hu (Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (W.H.).) C Christopher Y. Park (Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health) S Stephen S. Chung

Abstract

Abstract Blood production is sustained by hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are typically the only blood cells capable of long-term self-renewal. HSCs exhibit and depend on low levels of protein synthesis to self-renew. However, the mechanisms by which HSCs regulate protein synthesis to maintain their self-renewal capacity during proliferative stress and leukemogenesis remain unknown. Here we show CD99, a protein upregulated in leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), is required for the self-renewal of proliferating HSCs and LSCs. We found that loss of CD99 in HSCs and LSCs leads to increased protein synthesis, and that their self-renewal capacity can be restored by translation inhibition. These data demonstrate a functional role for CD99 in constraining protein synthesis, which may promote the clonal expansion of HSCs and LSCs that leads to AML. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate that similar to HSCs, LSCs depend on maintenance of tightly regulated protein synthesis rates.

Article Details

Journal Blood
Volume / Issue Vol. 146, Issue 16
Published October 16, 2025
Pages 1914-1928
ISSN 0006-4971
Publisher Elsevier BV

Journal Info

Blood

Elsevier BV

ISSN: 0006-4971 Health Sciences

Authors (14)

Y

Yuanyuan Ji

Y

Yi Huang

Hubei Cancer Hospital Wuhan China

T

Toby Thomas

Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine (T.T., Y.J., B.K., P.C., F.K., A.S., N.P., S.S.C.), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

E

Eda Gozel Kapti

1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

R

Reiko Tachibana

1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

J

Jacob Lark

1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

I

Iryna Berezniuk

Department of Pathology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine

L

Liang Guo

Department of Chemistry

M

Mohamed A. E. Ali

K

Karin Mims

1Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

B

Benjamin Kroger

Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine (T.T., Y.J., B.K., P.C., F.K., A.S., N.P., S.S.C.), UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX.

W

Wenhuo Hu

Department of Pathology, Center of Excellence for Leukemia Studies, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN (W.H.).

C

Christopher Y. Park

Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Health

S

Stephen S. Chung