Dataset Information

Expression, ChIP-chip, and ChIP-Seq data from REH and SEM leukemia cell lines [Expression and ChIP-chip]

ABSTRACT: MLL-fusion proteins are potent inducers of cancer in hematopoietic cells, where they are known to cause changes in global gene expression. How MLL-fusion proteins interact with the genome has not been established, so we have limited understanding of the pathway by which these proteins generate aberrant gene expression programs. Here we describe how the MLL-AF4 protein occupies the genome in human leukemia cells and its striking effects on chromatin states. We find that the MLL-AF4 fusion protein selectively occupies regions of the genome that contain developmental regulatory genes important for hematopoietic stem cell identity and self-renewal. These MLL-AF4 bound regions have grossly altered chromatin structure, with histone modifications catalyzed by Trithorax Group (TrxG) proteins and Dot1 extending across unusually large domains. This indicates that a key feature of MLL-associated leukemogenesis is aberrant targeting of chromatin modifiers to regions of the genome controlling hematopoietic development. Our results define the direct targets of the MLL-fusion protein, reveal the global role of epigenetic misregulation in leukemia, and identify new targets for therapeutic intervention in human cancer. Keywords: cell type comparison

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE13313 | GEO | 2008/12/15

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA109897

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The MLL-AF4 fusion gene is a hallmark genomic aberration in high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia in infants. Although it is well-established that MLL-AF4 arises pre-natally during human development, its effects on hematopoietic development in utero remains unexplored. We have created a human-specific in vitro system to study early hemato-endothelial development in MLL-AF4-expressing human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Differentiation and functional studies as well as clonal analyses and gene expression profiling reveal that expression of MLL-AF4 in hESCs has a phenotypic, functional and gene expression impact. It enhances the specification of hemogenic precursors from hESCs and impairs further hematopoietic commitment of these precursors in favour of the endothelial cell fate. Similar to that reported in cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), MLL-AF4 expression is not sufficient to transform hESC-derived hematopoietic cells in vitro or in vivo, indicating that additional events may be required to initiate leukemogenesis or that embryonic hematopoiesis is not the appropriate human cellular target for MLL-AF4-mediated leukemogenesis. This work illustrates how hESCs can provide unique insights into human development and further our understanding of how leukemic fusion genes known to arise pre-natally regulate human embryonic hematopoietic specification. MLL is involved in transcriptional regulation and most MLL translocations appear to result in increased expression of Hox genes and hematopoietic genes. We therefore assessed the impact of MLL-AF4 expression on the transcriptome of hESCs. Gene expression profiling performed in MLL-AF4 hESCs revealed that MLL-AF4 preferentially activates transcription. 1826 out of the 3001 genes (61%) expressed were up-regulated in MLL-AF4 hESCs. Human ESC samples were collected during the exponential cell growth phase and stabilized in RNA later. 500 ng of each total RNA sample was labelled with Cy3 using the Quick-Amp Labelling kit and hybridized with the Gene Expression Hybridization kit to a Whole Human Genome Oligo Microarray (Agilent Technologies) following the Manufacturer’s instructions. Each cell line was analyzed as independent duplicates. NEO-expressing (empty lentivector) hESC line was used as the baseline.

Dataset Information

Expression, ChIP-chip, and ChIP-Seq data from REH and SEM leukemia cell lines [Expression and ChIP-chip]

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