Project description:Chromosomal translocations encoding the MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusion transcription factors are prevalent in infant acute leukaemia and therapy-related leukaemia. In order to conditionally express the MLL-fusion oncogene in primary haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC), retroviral delivery of the Tet-off expression system was used (Horton et al., Cancer Res, 2005). Treatment of the conditional cells with Doxycycline caused a decrease in MLL-AF9/ENL mRNA and protein expression, and resulted in terminal differentiation of the cells. By analysing global changes in gene expression after treatment of cells with Doxycycline we were able to identify a number of potential transcriptional target genes of the MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusion oncogenes.
Project description:MLL-fusions represent a large group of leukemia drivers, whose diversity originates from the vast molecular heterogeneity of C-terminal fusion partners of MLL protein. While studies of selected MLL-fusions have revealed critical molecular pathways, unifying mechanisms across all MLL-fusions remain poorly understood. We present the first comprehensive survey of protein-protein interactions of seven distantly related MLL-fusion proteins: MLL-AF1p, MLL-AF4, MLL-AF9, MLL-CBP, MLL-EEN, MLL-ENL and MLL-GAS7.
Project description:We studied the chromatin modification patterns induced by the presence of the MLL-AF9 fusion protein in a model of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) transduced with retrovirus expressing MLL-AF9cDNA (HSPC-MA9). Comparative ChIP-seq analysis between HSPC-MA9 and control HSPC, revealed a massive hyperacetylation of histones that was consistent with the transcriptional profile in the presence of MLL-AF9 fusion protein. Furthermore, we identified 66 MLL-AF9 targets, and found that H4ac was present along with H3K4me3 and H3K79me2 chromatin marks in over 50% of the MLL-AF9 target genes. Examination of histone aceylation and methylation changes upon expression of MLL-AF9 fusion protein in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells.
Project description:ZNF521 is a multiple zinc finger transcription factor previously identified because abundantly and selectively expressed in normal CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. From microarray datasets, aberrant expression of ZNF521 has been reported in both pediatric and adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with MLL gene rearrangements. However, a proper validation of microarray data is lacking, likewise ZNF521 contribution in MLL-rearranged AML is still uncertain. In this study, we show that ZNF521 is significantly upregulated in MLL translocated AML patients from a large pediatric cohort, regardless of the type of MLL translocations such as MLL-AF9, MLL-ENL, MLL-AF10 and MLL-AF6 fusion genes. Our in vitro functional studies demonstrate that ZNF521 play a critical role in the maintenance of the undifferentiated state of MLL-rearranged cells. Furthermore, analysis of the ZNF521 gene promoter region shows that ZNF521 is a direct downstream target of both MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusion proteins. Gene expression profiling of MLL-AF9-rearranged THP-1 cells after depletion of ZNF521 reveals correlation with several expression signatures including stem cell-like and MLL fusion dependent programs. These data suggest that MLL fusion proteins activate ZNF521 expression to maintain the undifferentiated state and contribute to leukemogenesis. ZNF521 is required to block differentiation in MLL-rearranged AML cells
Project description:We investigated early changes of gene expressions and chromatin accessibilities in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in response to MLL-AF9 oncogene expressions. Using RNA-Seq and ATAC-Seq, we analyzed HSPCs briefly exposed to MLL-AF9 for one or two days. Such analysis addressed the initial changes during malignant transformation, and provided insights into the primary functions of MLL-AF9 oncogene.
Project description:The purpose of this study is to investigate the transcriptional programs as it relates to disease latency initiated by different MLL fusion proteins, including: MLL-AF1p, MLL-AF6, MLL-Gas7, MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL. Leukemia cell lines were established by transforming kit+ mouse bone marrow cells with retroviruses coding MLL-AF1p, MLL-AF6, MLL-Gas7, MLL-AF9 or MLL-ENL. At early phase after the cell lines were established, cells growing at exponential phase (cell density at 0.5~1x106/ml) were harvested for RNA extraction and sequencing purpose. Sequencing is performed on total RNA isolated from mouse leukemia cell lines generated from kit+ mouse bone marrow cells transduced with various MLL fusion proteins and is compared to control total RNA isolated from kit+ mouse bone marrow cells.
Project description:The purpose of this study is to investigate the transcriptional programs as it relates to disease latency initiated by different MLL fusion proteins, including: MLL-AF1p, MLL-AF6, MLL-Gas7, MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL. Leukemia cell lines were established by transforming kit+ mouse bone marrow cells with retroviruses coding MLL-AF1p, MLL-AF6, MLL-Gas7, MLL-AF9 or MLL-ENL. At early phase after the cell lines were established, cells growing at exponential phase (cell density at 0.5~1x106/ml) were harvested for RNA extraction and sequencing purpose.
Project description:We studied the chromatin modification patterns induced by the presence of the MLL-AF9 fusion protein in a model of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) transduced with retrovirus expressing MLL-AF9cDNA (HSPC-MA9). Comparative ChIP-seq analysis between HSPC-MA9 and control HSPC, revealed a massive hyperacetylation of histones that was consistent with the transcriptional profile in the presence of MLL-AF9 fusion protein. Furthermore, we identified 66 MLL-AF9 targets, and found that H4ac was present along with H3K4me3 and H3K79me2 chromatin marks in over 50% of the MLL-AF9 target genes.
Project description:To investigate the contribution of ENL YEATS domain and downstream sequences in MLL-ENL leukemogenesis program, we generated MLL-ENL and MLL-ENL ∆YEATS (ENL aa372-559) cell lines by retrovirally introducing these constructs into lineage negative hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs).
Project description:The pathways by which oncogenes, such as MLL-AF9, initiate transformation and leukemia in humans and mice are incompletely defined. In a study of target cells and oncogene dosage, we found that Mll-AF9, when under endogenous regulatory control, efficiently transformed LSK (Lin- Sca1+ c-kit+) stem cells while committed granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) were transformation-resistant and did not cause leukemia. Mll-AF9 was expressed at higher levels in hematopoietic stem (HSC) than GMP cells. Mll- AF9 gene dosage effects were directly shown in experiments where GMPs were efficiently transformed by the high dosage of Mll-AF9 resulting from retroviral transduction. Mll-AF9 up-regulated expression of 196 genes in both LSK and progenitor cells, but to higher levels in LSKs than in committed myeloid progenitors. Experiment Overall Design: Comparison of gene expression profiles among four types of hematopoietic cells (GMP, CMP, CLP and HSC), FACS sorted from wild type and Mll-AF9 knock-in mice. The goal was to identify genes differentially expressed in each Mll-AF9 cell type compared to the corresponding wild type cells.