The AF10 leucine zipper is required for leukemic transformation of myeloid progenitors by MLL-AF10

Blood ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 99 (10) ◽  
pp. 3780-3785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge F. DiMartino ◽  
Paul M. Ayton ◽  
Everett H. Chen ◽  
Clarissa C. Naftzger ◽  
Bryan D. Young ◽  
...  

The t(10;11)(p12;q23) chromosomal translocation in human acute myeloid leukemia results in the fusion of theMLL and AF10 genes. The latter codes for a novel leucine zipper protein, one of many MLL fusion partners of unknown function. In this report, we demonstrate that retroviral-mediated transduction of an MLL-AF10complementary DNA into primary murine myeloid progenitors enhanced their clonogenic potential in serial replating assays and led to their efficient immortalization at a primitive stage of myeloid differentiation. Furthermore, MLL-AF10–transduced cells rapidly induced acute myeloid leukemia in syngeneic or severe combined immunodeficiency recipient mice. Structure/function analysis showed that a highly conserved 82–amino acid portion of AF10, comprising 2 adjacent α-helical domains, was sufficient for immortalizing activity when fused to MLL. Neither helical domain alone mediated immortalization, and deletion of the 29–amino acid leucine zipper within this region completely abrogated transforming activity. Similarly, the minimal oncogenic domain of AF10 exhibited transcriptional activation properties when fused to the MLL or GAL4 DNA-binding domains, while neither helical domain alone did. However, transcriptional activation per se was not sufficient because a second activation domain of AF10 was neither required nor competent for transformation. The requirement for α-helical transcriptional effector domains is similar to the oncogenic contributions of unrelated MLL partners ENL and ELL, suggesting a general mechanism of myeloid leukemogenesis by a subset of MLL fusion proteins, possibly through specific recruitment of the transcriptional machinery.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunqi Zhu ◽  
Xiangmin Tong ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Xiaoya Lu

AbstractAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive and heterogeneous clonal hematologic malignancy for which novel therapeutic targets and strategies are required. Emerging evidence suggests that WTIP is a candidate tumor suppressor. However, the molecular mechanisms of WTIP in leukemogenesis have not been explored. Here, we report that WTIP expression is significantly reduced both in AML cell lines and clinical specimens compared with normal controls, and low levels of WTIP correlate with decreased overall survival in AML patients. Overexpression of WTIP inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies reveal that the apoptotic function of WTIP is mediated by upregulation and nuclear translocation of FOXO3a, a member of Forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factors involved in tumor suppression. We further demonstrate that WTIP interacts with FOXO3a and transcriptionally activates FOXO3a. Upon transcriptional activation of FOXO3a, its downstream target PUMA is increased, leading to activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Collectively, our results suggest that WTIP is a tumor suppressor and a potential target for therapeutic intervention in AML.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (20) ◽  
pp. 1682-1693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ikuko Nakamae ◽  
Jun-ya Kato ◽  
Takashi Yokoyama ◽  
Hidenori Ito ◽  
Noriko Yoneda-Kato

Abstract C/EBPα is a key transcription factor regulating myeloid differentiation and leukemogenesis. The Trib1-COP1 complex is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets C/EBPα for degradation, and its overexpression specifically induces acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here we show that myeloid leukemia factor 1 (MLF1) stabilizes C/EBPα protein levels by inhibiting the ligase activity of the Trib1-COP1 complex. MLF1 directly interacts with COP1 in the nucleus and interferes with the formation of the Trib1-COP1 complex, thereby blocking its ability to polyubiquitinate C/EBPα for degradation. MLF1 overexpression suppressed the Trib1-induced growth advantage in a murine bone marrow (BM) culture and Trib1-induced AML development in BM-transplanted mouse models. MLF1 was expressed in hematopoietic stem cells and myeloid progenitors (common myeloid progenitors and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors) in normal hematopoiesis, which is consistent with the distribution of C/EBPα. An MLF1 deficiency conferred a more immature phenotype on Trib1-induced AML development. A higher expression ratio of Trib1 to MLF1 was a key determinant for AML development in mouse models, which was also confirmed in human patient samples with acute leukemia. These results indicate that MLF1 is a positive regulator that is critical for C/EBPα stability in the early phases of hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis.


2010 ◽  
Vol 207 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon-Chi Han ◽  
Christopher Y. Park ◽  
Govind Bhagat ◽  
Jinping Zhang ◽  
Yulei Wang ◽  
...  

The function of microRNAs (miRNAs) in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), committed progenitors, and leukemia stem cells (LSCs) is poorly understood. We show that miR-29a is highly expressed in HSC and down-regulated in hematopoietic progenitors. Ectopic expression of miR-29a in mouse HSC/progenitors results in acquisition of self-renewal capacity by myeloid progenitors, biased myeloid differentiation, and the development of a myeloproliferative disorder that progresses to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). miR-29a promotes progenitor proliferation by expediting G1 to S/G2 cell cycle transitions. miR-29a is overexpressed in human AML and, like human LSC, miR-29a-expressing myeloid progenitors serially transplant AML. Our data indicate that miR-29a regulates early hematopoiesis and suggest that miR-29a initiates AML by converting myeloid progenitors into self-renewing LSC.


Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Sofie Grønningsæter ◽  
Hanne Kristin Fredly ◽  
Bjørn Tore Gjertsen ◽  
Kimberley Joanne Hatfield ◽  
Øystein Bruserud

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive malignancy, and many elderly/unfit patients cannot receive intensive and potentially curative therapy. These patients receive low-toxicity disease-stabilizing treatment. The combination of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid can stabilize the disease for a subset of such patients. We performed untargeted serum metabolomic profiling for 44 AML patients receiving treatment based on ATRA and valproic acid combined with low-dose cytotoxic drugs (cytarabine, hydroxyurea, 6-mercaptopurin) which identified 886 metabolites. When comparing pretreatment samples from responders and non-responders, metabolites mainly belonging to amino acid and lipid (i.e., fatty acid) pathways were altered. Furthermore, patients with rapidly progressive disease showed an extensively altered lipid metabolism. Both ATRA and valproic acid monotherapy also altered the amino acid and lipid metabolite profiles; however, these changes were only highly significant for valproic acid treatment. Twenty-three metabolites were significantly altered by seven-day valproic acid treatment (p < 0.05, q < 0.05), where the majority of altered metabolites belonged to lipid (especially fatty acid metabolism) and amino acid pathways, including several carnitines. These metabolomic effects, and especially the effects on lipid metabolism, may be important for the antileukemic and epigenetic effects of this treatment.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 752-752
Author(s):  
Hao Wang ◽  
Stephan Lindsey ◽  
Iwona Konieczna ◽  
Elizabeth Horvath ◽  
Ling Bei ◽  
...  

Abstract HOX genes encode highly conserved homeodomain (HD) transcription factors and are arranged in four groups (A–D). During definitive hematopoiesis, HOX gene expression is activated 3′ to 5′ through each group. Therefore, HOX1-4 are actively transcribed in hematopoietic stem cells and HOX7-11 in committed progenitors. Under normal conditions, HoxA7-11 expression decreases during CD34+ to CD34− maturation. Abnormal Hox expression is characteristic of several poor prognosis subtypes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) including AML with translocations or duplications of the MLL gene. In such leukemias, expression of HoxB3, B4 and A7-11 is sustained in CD34−CD38+ cells. In murine bone marrow transplantation experiments, expression of MLL fusion proteins, HoxA9 or HoxA10 induces a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) characterized by increased neutrophils (PMN). Over time, the mice progress to AML with circulating myeloid blasts. These results suggest overexpression of HoxA9 or HoxA10 is adequate for MPD, but differentiation block (AML) requires additional lesions. We found that HoxA9 and HoxA10 proteins not only decrease in expression during the CD34+ to CD34− transition, but also are tyrosine phosphorylated. In additional studies, we found that HoxA10 tyrosine phosphorylation state is relevant for differentiation stage-specific target gene expression during myelopoiesis. HoxA10 represses genes encoding phagocyte effector proteins in undifferentiated myeloid cells. During myelopoiesis, phosphorylation of conserved HD-HoxA10 tyrosines decreases binding to these genes, permitting phenotypic and functional differentiation. HoxA10 activates transcription of the gene encoding Mkp2 (Dusp4) in myeloid progenitors. Decrease in HoxA10-binding to this gene as differentiation proceeds decreases transcription and renders the cells susceptible to Jnk induced apoptosis. Therefore, we hypothesized that genetic lesions which influence post translational modification might cooperate with HoxA10 overexpression to lead from MPD to AML. In myeloid progenitors, HoxA10 is maintained in a non-phosphorylated state by SHP2 protein tyrosine phosphatase. SHP2 activity decreases as differentiation proceeds. Activating mutations in SHP2 have been described in AML. We found that such activated SHP2 mutants dephosphorylate HoxA10 through out ex vivo myelopoiesis. Therefore, we investigated cooperation between these two leukemia associated abnormalities in vivo. Mice were transplanted with bone marrow overexpressing HoxA10 (or empty vector control) with or without activated SHP2 (E76K). To control for SHP2 overexpression, other mice were transplanted with bone marrow overexpressing HoxA10 and wild type SHP2. Mice transplanted with bone marrow overexpressing HoxA10 (±SHP2) developed MPD which evolved to AML over 4 mos, consistent with previous observations. However, mice transplanted with bone marrow overexpressing HoxA10 and E76K SHP2 developed AML within 4 wks. This rapid development of AML correlated with abnormalities in expression of myeloid specific HoxA10 target genes. These studies indicate the importance of HoxA10 post translational modification for physiologically relevant function and identify cooperating lesions which may be significant for disease progression in human AML.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 3545-3545
Author(s):  
Kristine Baraoidan ◽  
Vinzon Ibanez ◽  
Chetna Mittal ◽  
Habte Yimer ◽  
Suman Chakraborty ◽  
...  

Abstract AML1 and PU.1, important regulators of hematopoietic differentiation, interact with each other and are known to synergize in transcriptional activation (Zhang et al, 1996). PU.1 and AML1 also interact with mSin3, a component of a co-repressor complex that can include N-CoR, HDAC and CBFA2T1 (ETO, MTG8) or CBFA2T3 (ETO2, MTG16). CBFA2T3 is highly expressed in hematopoietic cells and is a target of a chromosomal translocation found in acute myeloid leukemia (t(16;21)). In transfected 293T cells, we demonstrate that both AML1 and PU.1 co-immunoprecipitate with the conserved N-terminal TAFH domain of CBFA2T3 but not the C-terminal MYND domain. Although AML1 and PU.1 independently co-immunoprecipitate with CBFA2T3, when all three proteins are over-expressed in 293T cells, AML1 and PU.1 co-immunoprecipitate with each other while excluding CBFA2T3. CBFA2T3 interacts with the non-runt portion of AML1 (AML1 C-terminus) while PU.1 can interact with both the runt domain of AML1 and AML1 C-terminus. Presumably, the interaction between AML1 and PU.1 shields the CBFA2T3 binding sites on both proteins. Since this region includes the binding site for mSin3, other co-repressors may also be excluded from an AML1/PU.1 complex. This may be one basis for the co-operation between AML1 and PU.1 in transcriptional activation.


Blood ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 86 (6) ◽  
pp. 2073-2076 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Chaplin ◽  
O Bernard ◽  
HB Beverloo ◽  
V Saha ◽  
A Hagemeijer ◽  
...  

The gene on chromosome 10 at band p12 (AF10), involved in the t(10;11) translocation in acute myeloid leukemia, has been identified and shown to contain conserved zinc finger and leucine zipper domains. These regions are highly homologous to the equivalent regions on AF17, the gene involved in the t(11;17) translocations. A series of adult, childhood, and infant leukemias with either simple or complex versions of the t(10;11) has been examined by Southern analysis and shown to involve rearrangement to the HRX locus. Reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction from either bone marrow or peripheral blood cells showed that HRX sequence was fused to AF10 sequence in all 8 cases and subsequent sequence analysis showed an in-frame fusion between the HRX and AF10 sequence. A consistent feature of these fusions was the juxtaposition of the leucine dimerization motif of AF10 onto the NH2-terminal region of HRX. The published data suggest that a similar conclusion can be drawn about the t(11;17) translocation, implying a critical role for this motif in the chimaeric HRX protein.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 3520-3520
Author(s):  
Amanda Favreau ◽  
Erin Cross ◽  
Pradeep Sathyanarayana

Abstract Abstract 3520 IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF are predominant regulators for growth and differentiation of myeloid progenitors. Interestingly, they all signal via a common JAK2-STAT5 pathway in myeloid progenitor compartments. However, the specific mechanism through which JAK2-STAT5 responds differentially to early-acting and lineage restricted cytokines, particularly in leukemic and stem/progenitor cells, is largely unresolved. Aberrations in IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF induced signaling are frequently reported in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). microRNA (miRNA) play several crucial roles during hematopoiesis that include lineage decisions, stem cell progenitor transitions, niche control and other cell functions. Recent investigations have linked aberrant miRNA expression with AML. We hypothesized that a unique response of leukemic myeloid progenitors to IL-3, GM-CSF, and G-CSF are possibly mediated in part by distinct regulation at the miRNA level. Therefore, herein, by utilizing a unique leukemic myeloid cell line, AML-193, that responds to both early and late acting cytokines, we profiled IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF regulated miRNA signatures in leukemic myeloid progenitors. For miRNA profiling, AML-193 cells were initially exposed to IL-3 for 3 days followed by GM-CSF for 3 more days and subsequently to G-CSF for 3 days. We then profiled miRNA expression induced by IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF in AML-193 cells by treating the respective cohorts post growth factor deprivation with corresponding cytokines. Using SA Bioscience's complete Human V2.0 miRNA Genome Array platform for real-time qPCR-based miRNA expression profiling, we investigated miRNA signatures regulated by IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF for n=704 miRNAs in AML-193 cells. Frequencies of false positives were avoided using stringent filters. IL-3 specifically regulated 54 miRNAs and those miRNAs that were highly regulated included miR-362-3p, miR-590-3p, miR-340, miR-24-2, miR-1183 and miR-99a. GM-CSF specifically regulated miRNAs included let-7f, let-7a*, miR-195, miR-122, miR-376-c and miR-33a. G-CSF specifically regulated set included miR-21*, miR-192*, miR-32*, miR-7-1*, miR-545* and miR-37-4a*. Interestingly, 301 miRNAs were commonly regulated by IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF. Among the commonly regulated miRNAs, the ones that were subjected to high levels of regulation included miR-590-5p, miR-219-5p, miR-92-a1*, miR-378*, miR-548-3p, miR-29a*, miR-590-3p, miR-203, miR-363, miR-454, miR-340, miR-196a, miR-152, miR-10b, miR-24-2*, miR-10a, miR-182, miR-27a*, and miR-199a-3p. Interestingly, the commonly regulated miRNAs demonstrated a directional regulation in the order of IL-3>GM-CF>G-CSF. Analysis of the potential targets of significantly regulated miRNAs revealed important functional roles in myeloid cell development and differentiation. Conserved targets of miR-590-5p included BMPR2, PCBP2 and KLF3. Targets for miR-219-5p included Smad4 and GADD45b. Targets for miR-362-3p included Sox17, an inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway. Furthermore, to identify the JAK2-STAT5 responsiveness of miR-219-5p, miR-362-3p, and miR-590-5p, a STAT5 specific inhibitor (N′-((4-Oxo-4H-chromen-3-yl)methylene)nicotinohydrazide) was used prior to cytokine treatment. Interestingly, IL-3 and GM-CSF mediated induction of miR-590-5p, miR-219-5p and miR-362-3p were not significantly affected by STAT5 inhibitor. However, the G-CSF induction of miR-219-5p and miR-590-5p were significantly inhibited by the STAT5 specific inhibitor. In summary, we have discovered for the first time novel miRNA profiles regulated by IL-3, GM-CSF and G-CSF in an acute myeloid leukemia progenitor cell model. Importantly, we have established a cytokine regulated miRNome for leukemic myeloid progenitors and set the stage for future investigations in leukemic stem cells to delineate the pathological roles of dysregulated miRNAs in AML. In addition, our study displayed that G-CSF induced a subset of miRNAs that are principally regulated via the STAT5 circuit in AML. Further, these novel miRNA signatures may have therapeutic implications for targeting dysregulated miRNAs by antagomir strategy or miRNA replacement therapy, paving the way for the development of novel miRNA-based therapeutic interventions in AML. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


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