Loss of Dnajc21 leads to cytopenia and altered nucleotide metabolism in zebrafish

• Published in: Leukemia Vol. 38; no. 10; pp. 2115 - 2126
• Main Authors: Ketharnathan, Sarada, Pokharel, Sujata, Prykhozhij, Sergey V., Cordeiro-Santanach, Anna, Ban, Kevin, Dogan, Serkan, Hoang, Huy-Dung, Liebman, Mira F., Leung, Elaine, Alain, Tommy, Alecu, Irina, Bennett, Steffany A. L., Čuperlović-Culf, Miroslava, Dror, Yigal, Berman, Jason N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.10.2024; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 13/31; 38; 38/70; 38/91; 631/67/2327; 631/67/70; 64/116; 82/51; Animals; Biology; Bone marrow; Cancer Research; Cell Differentiation; Cell growth; Cell Proliferation; CRISPR; Critical Care Medicine; Cytopenia; Danio rerio; Differentiation; DNA biosynthesis; DNA Damage; Embryos; Hematology; Hematopoiesis; Hemopoiesis; In vivo methods and tests; Intensive; Internal Medicine; Leukemia; Leukocytes (neutrophilic); Malignancy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolism; Metabolomics; Mutants; Mutation; Neutropenia; Neutrophils; Nucleotides; Nucleotides - metabolism; Oncology; p53 Protein; Pediatrics; Phenotypes; Protein biosynthesis; Protein synthesis; Proteins; Statistical analysis; Transcriptomics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism; Zebrafish; Zebrafish Proteins - genetics; Zebrafish Proteins - metabolism
• ISSN: 0887-6924; 1476-5551; 1476-5551
• DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02367-8

Mutations in the DNAJC21 gene were recently described in Shwachman–Diamond syndrome (SDS), a bone marrow failure syndrome with high predisposition for myeloid malignancies. To study the underlying biology in hematopoiesis regulation and disease, we generated the first in vivo model of Dnajc21 deficiency using the zebrafish. Zebrafish dnajc21 mutants phenocopy key SDS patient phenotypes such as cytopenia, reduced growth, and defective protein synthesis. We show that cytopenia results from impaired hematopoietic differentiation, accumulation of DNA damage, and reduced cell proliferation. The introduction of a biallelic tp53 mutation in the dnajc21 mutants leads to the development of myelodysplastic neoplasia-like features defined by abnormal erythroid morphology and expansion of hematopoietic progenitors. Using transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses, we uncover a novel role for Dnajc21 in nucleotide metabolism. Exogenous nucleoside supplementation restores neutrophil counts, revealing an association between nucleotide imbalance and neutrophil differentiation, suggesting a novel mechanism in dnajc21 -mutant SDS biology.