Project description:The key myeloid transcription factor (TF) CEBPA is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the molecular ramifications of this leukemic driver mutation remain elusive. To investigate CEBPA mutant AML, we compared gene expression changes in human CEBPA mutant AML and in the corresponding CebpaLp30 mouse model, and identified a conserved cross-species transcriptional program. ChIP-seq revealed aberrantly activated enhancers, exclusively occupied by the leukemia-associated CEBPA-p30 isoform. One leukemic-enhancer upstream of Nt5e, encoding CD73, was physically and functionally linked to this conserved AML gene, and could be activated by CEBPA. Targeting of CD73-adenosine signaling increased AML survival in transplanted mice. Our data indicate a first-in-class link between a TF cancer driver mutation and a druggable, direct transcriptional target.
Project description:NR4As are critical tumor suppressors of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) whose expression is broadly silenced in leukemia initiating cell enriched populations from human patients relative to normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Rescued NR4A expression in human AML cells inhibits proliferation and reprograms AML gene signatures via transcriptional mechanisms that remain to be elucidated. By intersecting an acutely regulated, NR4A1 dependent transcriptional profile with genome wide NR4A binding distribution, we now identify an NR4A targetome of 685 genes that are directly regulated by NR4A1. We show that NR4As regulate gene transcription primarily through interaction with distal enhancers that are co-enriched for both NR4A1 and ETS transcription factor motifs. Using a subset of NR4A activated genes, we demonstrate that the ETS factors ERG and FLI-1 are required for activation of NR4A bound enhancers and NR4A target gene induction. NR4A1 dependent recruitment of ERG and FLI-1 promotes binding of p300 histone acetyl transferase to activate NR4A bound enhancers. These findings disclose novel epigenetic mechanisms by which NR4As and ETS factors cooperate to drive NR4A dependent gene transcription in human AML cells. NR4A1 ChIP-seq after exogenous NR4A1 expression
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly regulated throughout mammalian development and altered methylation patterns are a hallmark of cancer. The methylcytosine dioxygenase TET2 is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been suggested to protect CpG islands and promoters from aberrant methylation. By generating a novel mouse model of Tet2-deficient AML we show that loss of Tet2 in hematopoietic cells leads to progressive hypermethylation of active enhancer elements and altered expression of genes implicated in tumorigenesis. In contrast, CpG island and promoter methylation does not change in a Tet2-dependent manner. Furthermore, we confirm this specific enhancer hypermethylation phenotype in human AML patients. Thus, we propose that TET2 prevents leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells by protecting enhancers from aberrant DNA methylation. Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (eRRBS) analysis of in vitro-grown hematopoietic cells transduced with AML1-ETO or MLL-AF9
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly regulated throughout mammalian development and altered methylation patterns are a hallmark of cancer. The methylcytosine dioxygenase TET2 is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been suggested to protect CpG islands and promoters from aberrant methylation. By generating a novel mouse model of Tet2-deficient AML we show that loss of Tet2 in hematopoietic cells leads to progressive hypermethylation of active enhancer elements and altered expression of genes implicated in tumorigenesis. In contrast, CpG island and promoter methylation does not change in a Tet2-dependent manner. Furthermore, we confirm this specific enhancer hypermethylation phenotype in human AML patients. Thus, we propose that TET2 prevents leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells by protecting enhancers from aberrant DNA methylation. 5hmC-DIP-seq analysis for distribution of 5hmC in in vitro-grown hematopoietic cells transduced with AML1-ETO
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly regulated throughout mammalian development and altered methylation patterns are a hallmark of cancer. The methylcytosine dioxygenase TET2 is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been suggested to protect CpG islands and promoters from aberrant methylation. By generating a novel mouse model of Tet2-deficient AML we show that loss of Tet2 in hematopoietic cells leads to progressive hypermethylation of active enhancer elements and altered expression of genes implicated in tumorigenesis. In contrast, CpG island and promoter methylation does not change in a Tet2-dependent manner. Furthermore, we confirm this specific enhancer hypermethylation phenotype in human AML patients. Thus, we propose that TET2 prevents leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells by protecting enhancers from aberrant DNA methylation. ChIP-seq analysis for distribution of H3K4me1, H3K27ac, and H3K4me3 histone marks in in vitro-grown hematopoietic cells transduced with AML1-ETO
Project description:DNA methylation is tightly regulated throughout mammalian development and altered methylation patterns are a hallmark of cancer. The methylcytosine dioxygenase TET2 is frequently mutated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been suggested to protect CpG islands and promoters from aberrant methylation. By generating a novel mouse model of Tet2-deficient AML we show that loss of Tet2 in hematopoietic cells leads to progressive hypermethylation of active enhancer elements and altered expression of genes implicated in tumorigenesis. In contrast, CpG island and promoter methylation does not change in a Tet2-dependent manner. Furthermore, we confirm this specific enhancer hypermethylation phenotype in human AML patients. Thus, we propose that TET2 prevents leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells by protecting enhancers from aberrant DNA methylation. Gene expression profiles from Tet2-/-;AML1-ETO and Tet2fl/fl;AML1-ETO in vitro-grown hematopoietic cells were compared using GeneChip Mouse Gene ST 2.0 Arrays (Affymetrix). Expression changes were investigated at early (passage 2) and late (passage 10) timepoints after Tet2 disruption.
Project description:Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by a block in myeloid differentiation the stage of which is dependent on the nature of the transforming oncogene and the developmental stage of the oncogenic hit. This is also true for the t(8;21) translocation which gives rise to the RUNX1/ETO fusion protein and initiates the most common form of human AML. To understand the molecular principles governing this differential action, we used the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells expressing an inducible RUNX1/ETO protein into blood cells as a traceable model combined with genome-wide analyses of transcription factor binding and gene expression. We found that RUNX1/ETO interferes with both the activating and repressive function of its normal counterpart, RUNX1, at early and late stages of blood cell development. However, the response of the transcriptional network to RUNX1/ETO expression is stage-specific, highlighting the molecular mechanisms determining specific target cell expansion after an oncogenic hit. High throughput sequencing data have been used to study RUNX1/ETO role in hematopoietic system
Project description:Mutations in IDH1 and IDH2 are frequently observed in various cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Mutant IDHs convert α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), which dysregulates a set ofα-KG-dependent dioxygenases. To determine whether mutant IDHs are valid targets for cancer therapy, we established a mouse AML model harboring an IDH2 mutation by transplanting mice with nucleophosmin1 (NPM1)+/- mouse hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells that had been co-transduced with four mutant genes (NPMc, IDH2/R140Q, DNMT3A/R882H and FLT3/ITD) that frequently occur simultaneously in human AML patients. IDH2/R140Q is necessary for the engraftment or survival of NPMc+ cells in vivo. Gene-expression analysis indicated that NPMc increased the expression of Hoxa9, and that IDH2/R140Q increased the level of Meis1 and activated the hypoxia pathway in AML cells. Conditional deletion of IDH2/R140Q blocked 2-HG production and maintenance of leukemia stem cells, resulting in survival of the AML mice. IDH2/R140Q reversibly decreased the levels of 5hmC modification and gene expression at some differentiation inducing genes (Ebf1, Pax5 and Spib). These results indicate that the IDH2 mutation is critical for the development and maintenance of AML stem cells, and that mutant IDHs are promising targets for anticancer therapy.
Project description:Mutations in IDH1 and IDH2 are frequently observed in various cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Mutant IDHs convert α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) to 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG), which dysregulates a set ofα-KG-dependent dioxygenases. To determine whether mutant IDHs are valid targets for cancer therapy, we established a mouse AML model harboring an IDH2 mutation by transplanting mice with nucleophosmin1 (NPM1)+/- mouse hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells that had been co-transduced with four mutant genes (NPMc, IDH2/R140Q, DNMT3A/R882H and FLT3/ITD) that frequently occur simultaneously in human AML patients. IDH2/R140Q is necessary for the engraftment or survival of NPMc+ cells in vivo. Gene-expression analysis indicated that NPMc increased the expression of Hoxa9, and that IDH2/R140Q increased the level of Meis1 and activated the hypoxia pathway in AML cells. Conditional deletion of IDH2/R140Q blocked 2-HG production and maintenance of leukemia stem cells, resulting in survival of the AML mice. IDH2/R140Q reversibly decreased the levels of 5hmC modification and gene expression at some differentiation inducing genes (Ebf1, Pax5 and Spib). These results indicate that the IDH2 mutation is critical for the development and maintenance of AML stem cells, and that mutant IDHs are promising targets for anticancer therapy.