Research articleExosomal miR-486 regulates hypoxia-induced erythroid differentiation of erythroleukemia cells through targeting Sirt1

•miR-486 is a rapid response miRNA to hypoxia in erythroleukemia cells.•Exosomal miR-486 regulates the erythroid differentiation of TF-1 and cord blood CD34+ cells.•Sirt1 inhibition contributes to miR-486-induced erythroid differentiation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate the hypoxia-induced erythroid differentiation of hematopoietic cells. In this study, we identified that miR-486 was a rapid response miRNA to hypoxia in erythroleukemia TF-1 cells. Hypoxia exposure increased both intracellular and miR-486 levels of TF-1 cells. Ectopic miR-486 expression enhanced the growth and erythroid differentiation of TF-1 cells, whereas miR-486 inhibition suppressed their growth and erythroid differentiation. Treatment of TF-1 and cord blood CD34+ cells with exogenous containing miR-486 resulted in an increase of intracellular miR-486 level and enhanced erythroid differentiation. Furthermore, we identified that Sirt1 is a miR-486 target gene which modulates hypoxia-induced erythroid differentiation of TF-1 cells. Thus we identified a novel miRNA regulatory network that contributes to hypoxia-induced erythroid differentiation of hematopoietic cells.