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ResearchIn-Press PreviewCell biologyHematology Open Access | 10.1172/JCI203565

Disruption of methionine metabolism drives erythroid cell fate reprogramming by remodeling the H3K4me3 landscape

Lei Sun,1 Hengchao Zhang,1 Mengjia Li,1 Quande Lin,2 Xiuyun Wu,1 Ying Cheng,1 Shihui Wang,3 Yan Hou,1 Yaomei Wang,2 Yue Sheng,4 Jing Liu,5 Xiuli An,6 Ting Wang,1 and Lixiang Chen1

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Sun, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Zhang, H. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Li, M. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Lin, Q. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Wu, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Cheng, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Wang, S. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Hou, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Wang, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Sheng, Y. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Liu, J. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by An, X. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Wang, T. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

1Aging Decoding and Regeneration Institute, School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

2Henan Cancer Hospital, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

3Institute of Hematology, People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China

4Department of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China

5Molecular Biology Research Center & Center for Medical Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, China

6Laboratory of Membrane Biology, New York Blood Center, New York, United States of America

Find articles by Chen, L. in: PubMed | Google Scholar

Published July 14, 2026 - More info

J Clin Invest. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI203565.
Copyright © 2026, Sun et al. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Published July 14, 2026 - Version history
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Abstract

Methionine cycle plays critical roles in cell fate determination by shaping epigenetic landscape, yet its function in human erythropoiesis remains undefined. Here, we show that disruption of methionine metabolism by compromising key enzyme adenosylhomocysteinase (AHCY) reshapes H3K4me3 landscape, causing erythroid cell fate reprogramming. AHCY deficiency severely impaired erythroid differentiation and expansion, leading to the generation of non-erythroid lineage hematopoietic cells, including stem/progenitor cells and immune cells, as evidenced by single-cell RNA sequencing, Pseudo temporal analysis delineated a precise dedifferentiation trajectory, revealing erythroblasts transitioning back to MEPs and HSCs. Moreover, human hematopoietic system could be reconstituted in the immunodeficient NCG-X mice by transplanting AHCY deficient erythroblasts. Mechanistically, AHCY deficiency reduced global H3K4me3 levels and altered its genomic distribution, resulting in the upregulated expression of non-erythroid transcription factors and downregulated expression of erythrocyte lineage-specific transcription factors. Integrated single-cell analyses identified transitional states with diminished AHCY in the erythroblasts of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient. Further flow cytometry confirmed the reduced H3K4me3 level in patient derived erythroid cells. Erythroblasts isolated from AML patients with reduced H3K4me3 exhibited dedifferentiation potential into progenitor-like states. Our findings reveal a metabolic-epigenetic axis governing cell fate reprogramming in human erythropoiesis and provide insights into leukemia associated anemia.

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