{
  "abstract": "Background: Despite extensive knowledge of erythropoiesis, the role of interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 (ILF3) in β-thalassemia remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression pattern and functional role of ILF3 during erythroid differentiation in β-thalassemia. Methods: (1) Single-cell transcriptomic profiles were constructed based on the GSE133181 dataset (3 healthy controls and 3 β-thalassemia patients). The differential expression of ILF3, transcriptional programs of erythroid subsets, pathway activity, and differentiation trajectory were analyzed. (2) ILF3 was knocked out in K562 cells using sgRNA. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay, and apoptosis was measured by Annexin V-APC single staining. Results: (1) ILF3 was downregulated in the β-thalassemia group, and the proportion of erythroid cells was significantly enriched in ILF3+ cells. (2) ILF3+ erythroid cells highly expressed maturation-related genes and were enriched in cell cycle and metabolic synthesis pathways, while ILF3− cells highly expressed stress-related genes and activated inflammatory stress pathways. (3) Trajectory analysis suggested early arrest of erythroid differentiation in β-thalassemia, with consistently low ILF3 expression throughout the disease group. (4) Knockout of ILF3 promoted apoptosis in K562 cells. Conclusion: ILF3 is downregulated in β-thalassemia, and its deficiency may contribute to erythroid differentiation arrest and ineffective hematopoiesis by inducing apoptosis and potentially enhancing inflammatory stress.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Pediatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China",
    "Graduate School, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China",
    "NHC Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China",
    "Guangxi Key Laboratory of Thalassemia Research, Nanning, China"
  ],
  "article_type": "Research Article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Xiaojing Wu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Meng Lu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Wenguang Jia"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Weixiong Lin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yunyan He"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dw4jxr5pnvawy.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355975",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "dw4jxr5pnvawy",
  "issns": [
    "1932-6203"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355975",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2716|Hemoglobinopathies and Related Disorders"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/DNA-binding proteins/Transcription factors"
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Regulatory proteins/Transcription factors"
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell physiology/Cell metabolism"
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Cell death/Apoptosis"
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      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Cell proliferation"
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Cell differentiation"
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      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression"
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    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/Gene regulation"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/Gene regulation/Transcription factors"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/Gene regulation/Transcriptional control"
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  "openalex": "W7207703292",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0355975&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-03",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dw4jxr5pnvawy.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0355975",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355975"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "plos:gene expression",
      "subfield": "molecular-biology"
    },
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "plos:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "ILF3 regulates erythroid differentiation: A single-cell transcriptomic analysis and cellular experiment",
  "title_text": "ILF3 regulates erythroid differentiation: A single-cell transcriptomic analysis and cellular experiment",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dw4jxr5pnvawy",
  "venue": "PLOS One",
  "versions": []
}