Expression of an erythroid transcription factor in megakaryocytic and mast cell lineages

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Abstract
THE nuclear factor GF-1 (also known as NF-E1, Eryf-1 ; refs 1–3 respectively) is important in regulation of the transcription of globin and other genes4 that are specifically expressed in erythroid cells. We have previously shown that GF-1 of both mouse5 and human6 origin is a 413-amino-acid polypeptide with two novel zinc-finger domains whose expression is restricted to erythroid cells5,6. Using in situ hybridization of mouse bone marrow cells and northern blot analysis of purified cell populations and per-manent cell lines, we show here that GF-1 is expressed in two other haematopoietic lineages, megakaryocytes and bone marrow-derived mast cells. Our findings are consistent with results from haematopoietic progenitor culture which suggest a relationship between erythroid, megakaryocytic and mast cell lineages, and imply that GF-1 is expressed in committed multipotential cells and their progeny. Hence, the mere presence of this transcription factor is unlikely to be sufficient to programme differentiation of a single haematopoietic lineage. GF-1 may regulate the transcrip-tion of not only erythroid genes, but also many genes characteristic of megakaryocytes and mast cells, or genes shared among these lineages.

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