A role for IFN during embryonic hematopoiesis

Abstract

In this issue of Blood, Kim et al focused on the potential role of the proinflammatory cytokine interferon-α (IFN-α) in the developmental maturation of aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). They find that treatment of AGM HSCs with IFN-α increases long-term hematopoietic engraftment and donor chimerism. In addition, they identify adenine-thymine-rich interactive domain-3α (Arid3a) as an important transcriptional co-regulator of IFN-α signaling in embryonic HSCs.