Affiliations: 1) Institute For Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem); 2) The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences & Technology (TDU)
Keywords: b. metabolism; e. hematopoietic stem cells
The importance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in myeloid cell development and function is well established. However, any aberrant generation of ROS alters hematopoiesis. Thus, maintaining homeostatic levels of ROS is very crucial for progenitor development. While the autonomous mechanism of ROS homeostasis is explored but any physiological level interpretation that regulates this ROS homeostasis remains largely unclear. Here, we show a sensory regulation of redox homeostasis in blood-progenitor cells which is mediated by olfaction. We find that this long-range communication, to facilitate ROS homeostasis is central to the development of blood progenitor cells and successful immune response. This work shows yet another implication of environmental control of myeloid physiology at the axis of ROS homeostasis by odors and GABA. GABA metabolism in blood-progenitor cells regulate TCA cycle activity and antioxidants synthesis to control ROS balance in the lymph gland. We have identified the metabolic requirement of odor sensing and GABA in regulating redox homeostasis during Drosophila myeloid progenitor development, the relevance of which may be broadly conserved.