title: The AML1/ETO fusion protein activates transcription of BCL-2.
abstract: The AML1 gene, located on chromosome 21, is involved in several distinct chromosomal translocations in human leukemia. In t(8;21) acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the AML1 gene is juxtaposed to the ETO gene located on chromosome 8, generating an AML1/ETO fusion protein. Both AML1/ETO and the AML1 proteins recognize the same consensus DNA-binding motif (TGT/CGGT), which is found in the promoters of several genes involved in hematopoiesis. We found that two myeloid leukemia cell lines with the t(8;21) translocation, Kasumi and SKNO-1, have elevated levels of BCL-2 protein compared with other myeloid cell lines. In addition, we identified a consensus AML1 binding site in the BCL-2 promoter. Thus far, AML1/ETO has been shown to dominantly repress its target genes; however, we found that AML1/ETO activates transcription of the BCL-2 gene in U937 cells. This activation requires the presence of both the runt homology domain (rhd) and the C-terminal portion of AML1/ETO. We demonstrated sequence specific binding of both AML1A and AML1/ETO to the TGTGGT sequence in the BCL-2 promoter and showed that the AML1 binding site is required for responsiveness to AML1/ETO. Interestingly, AML1A and AML1B do not modulate the activity of the BCL-2 promoter. The elevated levels of BCL-2 in cells that express AML1/ETO may prolong their life span and contribute to the development of t(8;21) leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Aspects of Hematopoiesis, Sloan-Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Klampfer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Zelenetz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nimer
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D050676:Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D000075142:RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein; C493728:RUNX1 protein, human; C082222:RUNX1T1 protein, human; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors