Glucose and Glutamine Metabolism Regulate Human Hematopoietic Stem Cell Lineage Specification

The metabolic state of quiescent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is an important regulator of self-renewal, but it is unclear whether or how metabolic parameters contribute to HSC lineage specification and commitment. Here, we show that the commitment of human and murine HSCs to the erythroid lineage is dependent upon glutamine metabolism. HSCs require the ASCT2 glutamine transporter and active glutamine metabolism for erythroid specification. Blocking this pathway diverts EPO-stimulated HSCs to differentiate into myelomonocytic fates, altering in vivo HSC responses and erythroid commitment under stress conditions such as hemolytic anemia. Mechanistically, erythroid specification of HSCs requires glutamine-dependent de novo nucleotide biosynthesis. Exogenous nucleosides rescue erythroid commitment of human HSCs under conditions of limited glutamine catabolism, and glucose-stimulated nucleotide biosynthesis further enhances erythroid specification. Thus, the availability of glutamine and glucose to provide fuel for nucleotide biosynthesis regulates HSC lineage commitment under conditions of metabolic stress. [Display omitted] •HSCs express high levels of the ASCT2 glutamine transporter•Erythroid commitment of HSCs requires glutamine-dependent nucleotide biosynthesis•Blocking glutaminolysis diverts EPO-stimulated HSCs to a myelomonocytic fate•EPO-stimulated changes in glucose metabolism promote erythroid specification Metabolite availability regulates stem cell differentiation, influencing lineage decisions during periods of in vivo metabolic stress. Oburoglu et al. show that erythroid differentiation requires glucose and glutamine metabolism and that HSCs are diverted to a myelomonocytic fate under restrictive conditions.