Oncogenic fusion proteins expressed in immature hematopoietic cells fail to recapitulate the transcriptional changes observed in human AML

SET-PP2A complex as a new therapeutic target in KMT2A (MLL) rearranged AML

KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-R) is an aggressive and chemo-refractory acute leukemia which mostly affects children. Transcriptomics-based characterization and chemical interrogation identified kinases as key drivers of survival and drug resistance in KMT2A-R leukemia. In contrast, the contribution and regulation of phosphatases is unknown. In this study we uncover the essential role and underlying mechanisms of SET, the endogenous inhibitor of Ser/Thr phosphatase PP2A, in KMT2A-R-leukemia. Investigation of SET expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) samples demonstrated that SET is overexpressed, and elevated expression of SET is correlated with poor prognosis and with the expression of MEIS and HOXA genes in AML patients. Silencing SET specifically abolished the clonogenic ability of KMT2A-R leukemic cells and the transcription of KMT2A targets genes HOXA9 and HOXA10. Subsequent mechanistic investigations showed that SET interacts with both KMT2A wild type and fusion proteins, and it is recruited to the HOXA10 promoter. Pharmacological inhibition of SET by FTY720 disrupted SET-PP2A interaction leading to cell cycle arrest and increased sensitivity to chemotherapy in KMT2A-R-leukemic models. Phospho-proteomic analyses revealed that FTY720 reduced the activity of kinases regulated by PP2A, including ERK1, GSK3β, AURB and PLK1 and led to suppression of MYC, supporting the hypothesis of a feedback loop among PP2A, AURB, PLK1, MYC, and SET. Our findings illustrate that SET is a novel player in KMT2A-R leukemia and they provide evidence that SET antagonism could serve as a novel strategy to treat this aggressive leukemia.

Roles of Histone Deacetylases in Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Fusion Proteins

Accurate orchestration of gene expression is critical for the process of normal hematopoiesis, and dysregulation is closely associated with leukemogenesis. Epigenetic aberration is one of the major causes contributing to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), where chromosomal rearrangements are frequently found. Increasing evidences have shown the pivotal roles of histone deacetylases (HDACs) in chromatin remodeling, which are involved in stemness maintenance, cell fate determination, proliferation and differentiation, via mastering the transcriptional switch of key genes. In abnormal, these functions can be bloomed to elicit carcinogenesis. Presently, HDAC family members are appealing targets for drug exploration, many of which have been deployed to the AML treatment. As the majority of AML events are associated with chromosomal translocation resulting in oncogenic fusion proteins, it is valuable to comprehensively understand the mutual interactions between HDACs and oncogenic proteins. Therefore, we reviewed the process of leukemogenesis and roles of HDAC members acting in this progress, providing an insight for the target anchoring, investigation of hyperacetylated-agents, and how the current knowledge could be applied in AML treatment.

The oncofusion protein FUS-ERG targets key hematopoietic regulators and modulates the all-trans retinoic acid signaling pathway in t(16;21) acute myeloid leukemia

The ETS transcription factor ERG has been implicated as a major regulator of both normal and aberrant hematopoiesis. In acute myeloid leukemias harboring t(16;21), ERG function is deregulated due to a fusion with FUS/TLS resulting in the expression of a FUS–ERG oncofusion protein. How this oncofusion protein deregulates the normal ERG transcription program is unclear. Here, we show that FUS–ERG acts in the context of a heptad of proteins (ERG, FLI1, GATA2, LYL1, LMO2, RUNX1 and TAL1) central to proper expression of genes involved in maintaining a stem cell hematopoietic phenotype. Moreover, in t(16;21) FUS–ERG co-occupies genomic regions bound by the nuclear receptor heterodimer RXR:RARA inhibiting target gene expression and interfering with hematopoietic differentiation. All-trans retinoic acid treatment of t(16;21) cells as well as FUS–ERG knockdown alleviate the myeloid-differentiation block. Together, the results suggest that FUS–ERG acts as a transcriptional repressor of the retinoic acid signaling pathway.

Synthetic fusion protein design and applications

Synthetic fusion proteins can be designed to achieve improved properties or new functionality by synergistically incorporating multiple proteins into one complex. The fusion of two or more protein domains enhances bioactivities or generates novel functional combinations with a wide range of biotechnological and (bio)pharmaceutical applications. In this review, initially, we summarize the commonly used approaches for constructing fusion proteins. For each approach, the design strategy and desired properties are elaborated with examples of recent studies in the areas of biocatalysts, protein switches and bio-therapeutics. Subsequently, the progress in structural prediction of fusion proteins is presented, which can potentially facilitate the structure-based systematic design of fusion proteins toward identifying the best combinations of fusion partners. Finally, the current challenges and future directions in this field are discussed.