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Proliferation and Differentiation of Murine Myeloid Precursor 32D/G-CSF-R Cells
Published on: February 21, 2018
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Myeloid transformation by MLL-ENL depends strictly on C/EBP
Radoslaw Wesolowski1, Elisabeth Kowenz-Leutz1, Karin Zimmermann1
1Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
Life Science Alliance
|November 4, 2020
Summary
MLL-ENL infant leukemia cells require C/EBP transcription factors for transformation. Deleting Cebpa and Cebpb severely impaired leukemia cell growth, highlighting C/EBP dependency in MLL-driven oncogenesis.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Chromosomal rearrangements involving the mixed-lineage leukemia gene (MLL) are key drivers of infant acute leukemia.
- The granulocyte-macrophage progenitor state is epigenetically primed for transformation by MLL-type oncoproteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) in MLL-ENL-driven myeloid leukemia.
- To determine if C/EBPs are required for the maintenance of MLL-driven leukemia.
Main Methods:
- Compound deletion of Cebpa and Cebpb genes in MLL-ENL-transformed murine cells.
- Analysis of leukemia cell growth, survival, and gene expression in knockout models.
- Complementation studies with ectopic C/EBPβ expression and IGF1 activation.
Main Results:
- Compound deletion of Cebpa/Cebpb abrogated MLL-ENL leukemia cell growth and survival.
- Leukemia cells that survived Cebpa/Cebpb deletion showed high Cebpe expression, indicating incomplete compensation.
- Ectopic C/EBPβ expression rescued growth and was necessary for Cebpe inactivation, confirming Cebpe dependency.
Conclusions:
- MLL-transformed myeloid cells depend on C/EBP transcription factors for both the initiation and maintenance of transformation.
- C/EBPε provides inferior compensation for the loss of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ in MLL-driven leukemia.
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