WT1-mediated repression of the proapoptotic transcription factor ZNF224 is triggered by the BCR-ABL oncogene.
Author
Summary, in English
The Kruppel-like protein ZNF224 is a co-factor of the Wilms' tumor 1 protein, WT1. We have previously shown that ZNF224 exerts a specific proapoptotic role in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) K562 cells and contributes to cytosine arabinoside-induced apoptosis, by modulating WT1-dependent transcription of apoptotic genes. Here we demonstrate that ZNF224 gene expression is down-regulated both in BCR-ABL positive cell lines and in primary CML samples and is restored after imatinib and second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment. We also show that WT1, whose expression is positively regulated by BCR-ABL, represses transcription of the ZNF224 gene. Finally, we report that ZNF224 is significantly down-regulated in patients with BCR-ABL positive chronic phase-CML showing poor response or resistance to imatinib treatment as compared to high-responder patients. Taken as a whole, our data disclose a novel pathway activated by BCR-ABL that leads to inhibition of apoptosis through the ZNF224 repression. ZNF224 could thus represent a novel promising therapeutic target in CML.
Department/s
- Transcriptional mechanisms for the Wilms’ tumor gene 1 (WT1) oncoprotein
- Division of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine
- BioCARE: Biomarkers in Cancer Medicine improving Health Care, Education and Innovation
Publishing year
2015
Language
English
Pages
37-28223
Publication/Series
Oncotarget
Volume
29
Issue
6
Links
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Impact Journals
Topic
- Hematology
Status
Published
Research group
- Transcriptional mechanisms for the Wilms’ tumor gene 1 (WT1) oncoprotein
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 1949-2553