Down-regulation of interferon regulatory factor 4 gene expression in leukemic cells due to hypermethylation of CpG motifs in the promoter region.

ABSTRACT: Although the bcr-abl translocation has been shown to be the causative genetic aberration in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), there is mounting evidence that the deregulation of other genes, such as the transcription factor interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF-4), is also implicated in the pathogenesis of CML. Promoter methylation of CpG target sites or direct deletions/insertions of genes are mechanisms of a reversible or permanent silencing of gene expression, respectively. Therefore, we investigated whether IRF-4 promoter methylation or mutation may be involved in the regulation of IRF-4 expression in leukemia cells. Whereas promoter mutations or structural rearrangements could be excluded as a cause of altered IRF-4 expression in hematopoietic cells, the IRF-4 promoter methylation status

SUBMITTER: Ortmann CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1310901 | biostudies-literature | 2005

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature