Inhibition of AHR signaling promotes the terminal differentiation of erythroid cells

AHR is a transcription factor, which belongs to basic-helix-loop-helix Per-ARNT-SIM (bHLH/PAS) family. In addition to various fundamental biological activeties in cell differentiation, apoptosis, nervus development, cancer process and immune regulaton, AHR plays an essential role in the process of hematopoiesis. This study found that depressed AHR promotes the erythroid terminal differentiation. Transcriptome analysis of erythroid cells showed that SR1 upregulated the heme metabolic and erythrocyte differentiation related genes and downregulated cytoskeleton actin associated genes. These results indicated that inhibited AHR has an important role in the maturation of erythroid in vitro.