Cooperative gene activation by AF4 and DOT1L drives MLL-rearranged leukemia

J Clin Invest. 2017 May 1;127(5):1918-1931. doi: 10.1172/JCI91406. Epub 2017 Apr 10.

Abstract

The eleven-nineteen leukemia (ENL) protein family, composed of ENL and AF9, is a common component of 3 transcriptional modulators: AF4-ENL-P-TEFb complex (AEP), DOT1L-AF10-ENL complex (referred to as the DOT1L complex) and polycomb-repressive complex 1 (PRC1). Each complex associates with chromatin via distinct mechanisms, conferring different transcriptional properties including activation, maintenance, and repression. The mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene often fuses with ENL and AF10 family genes in leukemia. However, the functional interrelationship among those 3 complexes in leukemic transformation remains largely elusive. Here, we have shown that MLL-ENL and MLL-AF10 constitutively activate transcription by aberrantly inducing both AEP-dependent transcriptional activation and DOT1L-dependent transcriptional maintenance, mostly in the absence of PRC1, to fully transform hematopoietic progenitors. These results reveal a cooperative transcriptional activation mechanism of AEP and DOT1L and suggest a molecular rationale for the simultaneous inhibition of the MLL fusion-AF4 complex and DOT1L for more effective treatment of MLL-rearranged leukemia.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia / genetics
  • Leukemia / metabolism*
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / genetics
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / metabolism*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / genetics
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Aff1 protein, mouse
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • KMT2A protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Transcriptional Elongation Factors
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein
  • AFF1 protein, human
  • DOT1L protein, human
  • Dot1l protein, mouse
  • Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Kmt2a protein, mouse