title: Determinants of oncogenic transformation in acute promyelocytic leukemia: the hetero-union makes the force.
abstract: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is caused by chromosomal translocations that involve the retinoic acid receptor alpha (RAR) and several other genes to yield X-RAR fusion proteins. Unlike wild-type RARs, which require heterodimerization with the retinoid X receptor (RXR) for their function as DNA-binding transcriptional regulators, X-RAR fusion proteins bind DNA and deregulate transcription as homo-oligomers. In this issue of Cancer Cell, however, Zeisig et al. and Zhu et al. show that RXR recruitment is a critical determinant for the transforming potential of oligomeric X-RAR fusion proteins and explore the possibility for targeted interventions in APL with either RAR or RXR ligands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy. saverio.minucci@ifom-ieo-campus.it
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minucci
authors.forename: Pier Giuseppe
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Pelicci
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000473:pathology*; D008024:Ligands; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors