Age-Related Increase of EED Expression in Early Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells is Associated with Global Increase of the Histone Modification H3K27me3.

Human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from umbilical cord blood exhibit higher differentiation potential and repopulation capacity compared to adult HSPCs. The molecular basis for these functional differences is currently unknown. Upon screening for epigenetic effector genes being differentially expressed in neonatal and adult HSPC subpopulations, the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) member EED was identified.