Runx1 regulates zebrafish neutrophil maturation via synergistic interaction with c-Myb

Neutrophils play an essential role in the innate immune defense system in vertebrates. During hematopoiesis, the full function of neutrophils involves maturation of granules and related enzymes. Yet, transcription regulators that promote neutrophil maturation remain largely undefined. Here, two hematopoiesis-defective zebrafish mutants, runx1(w84x) and c-myb(hkz3), were used to investigate the in vivo roles of Runx1 in cooperation with c-Myb in regulating neutrophil maturation. Loss of runx1 impairs primitive neutrophil development. Additional regulation of c-myb(+/−) and c-myb(−/−) induces a more severe phenotypes suggesting a synergistic genetic interaction between c-myb and runx1 in neutrophil maturation. Further studies revealed that the two transcription factors act cooperatively to control neutrophil maturation processes via transactivating a series of neutrophil maturation-related genes. These data reveal the in vivo roles of Runx1 in regulating primitive neutrophil maturation while also indicating a novel genetic and molecular orchestration of Runx1 and c-Myb in myeloid cell development. The study will provide new evidence on the regulation of neutrophil maturation during hematopoiesis.