LSD1-mediated repression of GFI1 super-enhancer plays an essential role in erythroleukemia

Leukemia. 2020 Mar;34(3):746-758. doi: 10.1038/s41375-019-0614-6. Epub 2019 Nov 1.

Abstract

Super-enhancers (SEs) consist of enhancer clusters with abundant binding of transcription factors (TFs) and cofactors. LSD1 is a histone modifier that eliminates SE activity. However, whether SE suppression by LSD1 is associated with leukemogenesis remains unknown. In erythro-megakaryocyte lineage leukemia cells, activation of the SE of GFI1 (GFI1-SE) is related to induction of myeloid differentiation by LSD1 inhibitors NCD38 and NCD25 and to their antileukemia effect. Although functional TF-motifs were concentrated in an evolutionally conserved area, NCD38 barely induced additional TF recruitment. Instead, the transcription cofactors including LSD1, CoREST, HDAC1, and HDAC2 were evicted from GFI1-SE. Deletion of GFI1-SE impaired induction of myeloid differentiation by NCD38 and NCD25 in erythroleukemia cells. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the GFI1-SE deletion impaired NCD38-induced programs related to granulocyte differentiation and the CEBPA network, but restored NCD38-suppressed programs related to erythroid development, GATA1 targets, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) clusters including FAB subtype M6 and AML with myelodysplastic syndrome-related chromosomal abnormalities. Ontologies of genes whose expression changes by NCD38 were canceled due to the GFI1-SE deletion showed enrichment in AML and neutropenia signatures. Collectively, our data suggest that sustainable repression of GFI1-SE by LSD1 is essential for sustenance of erythroleukemia cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Benzamides / pharmacology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Chromosome Aberrations
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Gene Deletion
  • Gene Editing
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • Histone Demethylases / genetics*
  • Histones / chemistry
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / genetics*
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*

Substances

  • Benzamides
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • GFI1 protein, human
  • Histones
  • NCD38 compound
  • Transcription Factors
  • Histone Demethylases
  • KDM1A protein, human