JMJD3: a critical epigenetic regulator in stem cell fate

The Jumonji domain-containing protein-3 (JMJD3) is a histone demethylase that regulates the trimethylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3). H3K27me3 is an important epigenetic event associated with transcriptional silencing. JMJD3 has been studied extensively in immune diseases, cancer, and tumor development. There is a comprehensive epigenetic transformation during the transition of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into specialized cells or the reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Recent studies have illustrated that JMJD3 plays a major role in cell fate determination of pluripotent and multipotent stem cells (MSCs). JMJD3 has been found to enhance self-renewal ability and reduce the differentiation capacity of ESCs and MSCs. In this review, we will focus on the recent advances of JMJD3 function in stem cell fate. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12964-021-00753-8.