Ketogenesis promotes leukemia development by inhibiting ferroptosis in leukemic stem cells [RNA-Seq]

Here, we show that leukemic stem cells (LSCs) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) engage elevated ketogenesis, driven by fatty acid oxidation (FAO), to produce D-β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). LSCs express high levels of 3-hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2), the rate-limiting enzyme in ketogenesis than blast cells and normal hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).

Deletion of Hmgcs2 in AML cells markedly decreases BHB levels, disrupts LSC function, and impairs leukemia progression in both mouse and human AML models, while largely sparing normal hematopoiesis. Mechanistically, BHB suppresses ferroptosis by limiting pro-ferroptotic phospholipid remodeling through epigenetic regulation of fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2). Together, these findings identify autonomous ketogenesis as a critical metabolic program that protects LSCs from ferroptotic cell death and sustains leukemia progression.