Lipid metabolism in terminal erythropoiesis.

Abstract

In this issue of Blood, Huang et al have provided evidence that altered lipid metabolism is critical for terminal erythropoiesis. A key role is proposed for the PHOSPHO1 gene product, a phosphocholine phosphatase. PHOSPHO1 knockouts (KOs) showed reduced erythroblast proliferation and enucleation in both mice and human erythroid tissues, apparently through energy depletion mediated via inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation of fatty acids and reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in late glycolysis. This work emphasizes that altered expression of genes involving lipid metabolism are important during late red cell maturation.