MLL-AF9 and MLL-AF4 oncofusion proteins bind a distinct enhancer repertoire and target the RUNX1 program in 11q23 acute myeloid leukemia

Oncogene. 2017 Jun 8;36(23):3346-3356. doi: 10.1038/onc.2016.488. Epub 2017 Jan 23.

Abstract

In 11q23 leukemias, the N-terminal part of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene is fused to >60 different partner genes. In order to define a core set of MLL rearranged targets, we investigated the genome-wide binding of the MLL-AF9 and MLL-AF4 fusion proteins and associated epigenetic signatures in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines THP-1 and MV4-11. We uncovered both common as well as specific MLL-AF9 and MLL-AF4 target genes, which were all marked by H3K79me2, H3K27ac and H3K4me3. Apart from promoter binding, we also identified MLL-AF9 and MLL-AF4 binding at specific subsets of non-overlapping active distal regulatory elements. Despite this differential enhancer binding, MLL-AF9 and MLL-AF4 still direct a common gene program, which represents part of the RUNX1 gene program and constitutes of CD34+ and monocyte-specific genes. Comparing these data sets identified several zinc finger transcription factors (TFs) as potential MLL-AF9 co-regulators. Together, these results suggest that MLL fusions collaborate with specific subsets of TFs to deregulate the RUNX1 gene program in 11q23 AMLs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 / genetics*
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / genetics
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / metabolism*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / methods
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / genetics
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism*
  • Prognosis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic

Substances

  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit
  • MLL-AF4 fusion protein, human
  • MLL-AF9 fusion protein, human
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • RUNX1 protein, human
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein