Gata2 heterozygous mutant mice exhibit reduced inflammatory responses and impaired bacterial clearance

Infectious diseases continually pose global medical challenges. The transcription factor GATA2 establishes gene networks and defines cellular identity in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and in progeny committed to specific lineages. GATA2-haploinsufficient patients exhibit a spectrum of immunodeficiencies associated with bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Despite accumulating clinical knowledge of the consequences of GATA2 haploinsufficiency in humans, it is unclear how GATA2 haploinsufficiency compromises host anti-infectious defenses. To address this issue, we examined Gata2-heterozygous mutant (G2(Het)) mice as a model for human GATA2 haploinsufficiency. In vivo inflammation imaging and cytokine multiplex analysis demonstrated that G2(Het) mice had attenuated inflammatory responses with reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines, particularly IFN-γ, IL-12p40, and IL-17A, during lipopolysaccharide-induced acute inflammation. Consequently, bacterial clearance was significantly impaired in G2(Het) mice after cecal ligation and puncture-induced polymicrobial peritonitis. These results provide direct molecular insights into GATA2-directed host defenses and the pathogenic mechanisms underlying observed immunodeficiencies in GATA2-haploinsufficient patients.