Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) sustain blood and immune cell production. Acute Salmonella infection activates HSCs and disrupts hematopoiesis; surprisingly, however, the effect of chronic infection remains unclear. Here, we show that chronic Salmonella infection significantly impair stem and progenitor cells of the bone marrow. As early as 14 days post-infection, the transplantation potency of HSCs is depleted. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveal a myeloid bias and a shift of HSCs toward a cycling state. Notably, curative antibiotic treatment reverses the molecular changes, restoring a healthy-like HSC state. In agreement, functional recovery of potency is confirmed by competitive transplantation assays. These findings uncover a profound and reversible loss of HSC's transplantation during chronic Salmonella infection. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the donor's immune status in HSC transplantation.
Elfassy et al. (Mon,) studied this question.