The AML1 transcription factor functions to develop and maintain hematogenic precursor cells in the embryonic aorta-gonad-mesonephros region

We examined the role of the AML1 transcription factor in the development of hematopoiesis in the paraaortic splanchnopleural (P-Sp) and the aorta-gona d-mesonephros (AGM) regions of mouse embryos. The activity of colony-formin g units of colonies from the P-Sp/AGM region was reduced severalfold by het erozygous disruption of the AML1 gene, indicating that AML1 functioned in a dosage-dependent manner to generate hematopoietic progenitors. In addition , no hematopoietic progenitor activity was detected in the P-Sp/AGM region of embryos with an AML1 null mutation. Similar results were obtained when a dispersed culture was first prepared from the P-Sp/AGM region before assay of the activity of the colony-forming units. In a culture of cells with th e AML1(+)(+) genotype, both hematopoietic and endothelial-like cell types e merged, but in a culture of cells with the AML1(-/-) genotype, only endothe lial-like cells emerged. Interestingly, introduction of AML1 cDNA into the P-Sp/AGM culture with the AML1(-/-) genotype partially restored the product ion of hematopoietic cells. This restoration was observed for cultures prep ared from 9.5-day postcoitum (dpc) embryos but not for cultures prepared fr om 11.5-dpc embryos. Therefore, the population of endothelial-like cells ca pable of growing in the AML1(-/-) culture would appear to contain inert but nonetheless competent hematogenic precursor cells up until at least the 9. 5-dpc period. All these results support the notion that the AML1 transcript ion factor functions to develop and maintain hematogenic precursor cells in the embryonic P-Sp/AGM region. (C) 2000 Academic Press.