Oncogenic activation of EVC/EVC2 defines a therapeutically targetable subset of acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by high incidence, poor prognosis, and marked genetic and clinical heterogeneity. This heterogeneity poses a significant challenge to effective treatment and underscores the urgent need for tailored therapeutic strategies. Here, we identified the EvC ciliary complex subunits EVC and EVC2 as aberrantly overexpressed in a subset of AMLs, particularly those harboring ASXL1 mutations or the t(8;21) translocation, with elevated expression correlating with poor patient prognosis. Functional studies demonstrated that EVC/EVC2 are essential for maintaining the leukemogenic properties of AML cells, while being dispensable for the function of normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Loss of EVC/EVC2 impairs leukemia cell proliferation, promotes differentiation, and effectively blocks AML progression in vivo. Mechanistically, we revealed that elevated EVC/EVC2 expression is associated with gained AML1-ETO occupancy or enhanced chromatin interactions at EVC/EVC2 promoter regions in AML cells carrying t(8;21) or ASXL1 mutations, respectively. Notably, we demonstrate that the leukemogenic role of EVC/EVC2 is mediated through MYC pathway activation, independent of their canonical role in Hedgehog signaling. Collectively, our findings demonstrate an oncogenic event of overexpressed EVC/EVC2, identifying novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in AML.