Project description:HOXA9 and MEIS1 are essential downstream effectors of the MLL-AF9 oncoprotein during leukaemia induction. Leukaemia derived from MLL-AF9-transduced LSK cells has a more aggressive phenotype than that derived from HOXA9/MEIS1-transduced LSK cells. To determine differential gene expression that contributes to increased aggressiveness in MLL-AF9-induced leukaemia, microarray was performed on LSK cells transduced with MLL-AF9 versus HOXA/MEIS1 oncogenes.
Project description:HOXA9 and MEIS1 are essential downstream effectors of the MLL-AF9 oncoprotein during leukemia induction. Leukemia derived from MLL-AF9-transduced LSK cells has a more aggressive phenotype than that derived from HOXA9/MEIS1-transduced LSK cells. To determine differential miRNA expression that contributes to increased aggressiveness in MLL-AF9-induced leukemia, miRCURY LNA microRNA Array was performed on LSK cells transduced with MLL-AF9 versus HOXA/MEIS1 oncogenes.
Project description:We investigated the role of the transcriptional regulator Id2 in the context of MLL-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using an AML mouse model driven by tet-regulated MLL-AF9 co-expressed with oncogenic NRASG12D (Tet-off MLL-AF9), we demonstrated that MLL-AF9 regulates the E protein pathway by suppressing Id2, while activating the expression of its target E2-2. Moreover, we found that Id2 over-expression in Tet-Off MLL-AF9 AML cells in vitro partially phenocopies MLL-AF9 depletion and results inhibition of leukemia growth, loss of leukemia stem cell-associated gene expression pattern and induction of differentiation. To compare gene expression changes associated with enforced Id2 expression and MLL-AF9 withdrawal, RNA sequencing analysis was performed on Tet-off MLL-AF9 cells transduced with an Id2 over-expressing or a control vector, or upon MLL-AF9 dox-inducible knock-down. Primary AMLs driven by Tet-off inducible MLL/AF9 expression linked to dsRED reporter, in association with oncogenic NRASG12D (Tet-off MLL-AF9) were generated by reconstituting lethally irradiated congenic mice with foetal liver cells co-transduced with a Tet-Off-MLL-AF9-dRED retroviral vector and a second vector co-expressing NRASG12D together with the Tet-Off responsive transcriptional activator. RNA sequencing analysis sequencing analysis was performed on Tet-Off MLL-AF9/dsRED+ AML cells treated in vitro with doxycycline (DOX) for 4 days to inactivate MLL-AF9 expression or left untreated (UT). For the Id2 over-expression experiment, Tet-Off MLL-AF9/dsRED+ AML cells were transduced in vitro with an Id2-GFP or a control-GFP retroviral vector. Viable GFP-positive cells were FACS-sorted 2 days after transduction and used for RNA sequencing analysis.
Project description:We investigated the role of the transcriptional regulator Id2 in the context of MLL-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using an AML mouse model driven by tet-regulated MLL-AF9 co-expressed with oncogenic NRASG12D (Tet-off MLL-AF9), we demonstrated that MLL-AF9 regulates the E protein pathway by suppressing Id2, while activating the expression of its target E2-2. Moreover, we found that Id2 over-expression in Tet-Off MLL-AF9 AML cells in vitro partially phenocopies MLL-AF9 depletion and results inhibition of leukemia growth, loss of leukemia stem cell-associated gene expression pattern and induction of differentiation. To compare gene expression changes associated with enforced Id2 expression and MLL-AF9 withdrawal, RNA sequencing analysis was performed on Tet-off MLL-AF9 cells transduced with an Id2 over-expressing or a control vector, or upon MLL-AF9 dox-inducible knock-down.
Project description:miR-101 has been reported as a tumor suppressor in several types of cancer. However, its role in AML is still unknown. In this study, we restored the expression of miR-101 in MLL-AF9 transduced LSK cells by introducing a retroviral miR-101 expression vector. To identify miR-101-regulated gene expression, we performed genome-wide gene expression analysis on GFP+ MLL-AF9-transduced LSK cells overexpressing miR-101 versus control vector. Our gene expression analysis and subsequent functional studies demonstrate that enforced expression of miR-101 has antitumor effects on the development of MLL-rearranged AML. Each group has 3 samples.
Project description:To identify the target genes of Runx1/Cbfb in MLL fusion leukemia, we performed microarray analysis using control and Runx1/Cbfb-deleted MLL-AF9 cells. c-Kit(+) bone marrow cells derived from Runx1/Cbfb double floxed mice were transduced with MLL-AF9 and CreERT2 (coexpressing Puromycin). After several rounds of replating with Puromycin, EtOH (control) or 4OHT was added to induce gene deletion. Two independent experiments with 2 independent clones were performed, and gene-expression was compared using the 4 sets of samples 24 hours after 4OHT addition.
Project description:MIR139 is a critical tumor suppressor and commonly silenced in human cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Here, we found that depletion of identified MIR139 targets affects AML outgrowth. We unraveled the mechanism of MIR139 gene inactivation in AML expressing the Mixed-Lineage Leukemia (MLL)-AF9 oncogene. Epigenetic analyses revealed two well-conserved putative enhancer regions in close proximity of transcriptional start sites (TSS) of MIR139. These regions were silenced by the Polycomb-Repressive Complex-2 (PRC2) downstream of MLL-AF9. Genomic deletion of these regions abolished MIR139 transcriptional regulation in normal and oncogenic conditions. Genome-wide knockout screens revealed the transcriptional pausing factor of RNA Polymerase-II, POLR2M, as a critical MIR139-silencing factor. Furthermore, direct POLR2M binding to the MIR139 TSS induced paused transcription, which was abrogated upon PRC2 inhibition. We present evidence for an oncogenic POLR2M-mediated MIR139 silencing mechanism, downstream of MLL-AF9 and PRC2. Together, our findings highlight the importance of POLR2M-mediated paused transcription in AML.
Project description:We investigated the role of the transcriptional regulators Id2 and E2-2 (encoded by Tcf4) in the context of MLL-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Using an AML mouse model driven by a Tet-off inducible MLL-AF9 allele co-expressed with oncogenic NRASG12D, we demonstrated that MLL-AF9 regulates the E protein pathway by suppressing Id2, while activating the expression of its target E2-2. Moreover, we found that Id2 over-expression in MLL-AF9 AML cells results inhibition of leukemia growth, loss of leukemia stem cell-associated gene expression pattern and induction of differentiation. E2-2 silencing phenocopies Id2 overexpression in MLL-AF9-AML cells. To study the gene expression changes associated with E2-2 depletion in the context of MLL-rearranged AML, RNA sequencing analysis was performed on MLL-AF9;NRAS AML cells transduced with vectors expressing hairpins against E2-2 (shTcf4#654 and shTcf4#3646) or a control hairpin against Renilla luciferase (shRen). Primary AMLs driven by MLL/AF9 expression linked to cherry reporter, in association with oncogenic NRASG12D (MLL/AF9;NRAS) were generated by reconstituting lethally irradiated congenic mice with fetal liver cells co-transduced with the MSCV-MLL/AF9-IRES-cherry retroviral vector and a second vector co-expressing NRASG12D together with luciferase (MSCV-luciferase-IRES-NRASG12D). RNA sequencing analysis sequencing analysis was performed on MLL-AF9;NRAS AML cells transduced in vitro with vectors expressing hairpins against E2-2 (shTcf4#654 and shTcf4#3646) or a control hairpin against Renilla luciferase (shRen) linked to the reporter GFP. Viable GFP-positive cells were FACS-sorted 2 days after transduction and used for RNA sequencing analysis. Two independent biological replicates of the experiment were used for the RNA sequencing (9-5-14 and 14-4-14).