Jmjd2/Kdm4 demethylases are required for expression of Il3ra and survival of acute myeloid leukemia cells

TY - JOUR

T1 - Jmjd2/Kdm4 demethylases are required for expression of Il3ra and survival of acute myeloid leukemia cells

AU - Agger, Karl

AU - Miyagi, Satoru

AU - Pedersen, Marianne Terndrup

AU - Kooistra, Susanne M

AU - Johansen, Jens Vilstrup

AU - Helin, Kristian

N1 - © 2016 Agger et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

PY - 2016/6/1

Y1 - 2016/6/1

N2 - Acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) with a rearrangement of the mixed-linage leukemia (MLL) gene are aggressive hematopoietic malignancies. Here, we explored the feasibility of using the H3K9- and H3K36-specific demethylases Jmjd2/Kdm4 as putative drug targets in MLL-AF9 translocated leukemia. Using Jmjd2a, Jmjd2b, and Jmjd2c conditional triple-knockout mice, we show that Jmjd2/Kdm4 activities are required for MLL-AF9 translocated AML in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrate that expression of the interleukin 3 receptor α (Il3ra also known as Cd123) subunit is dependent on Jmjd2/Kdm4 through a mechanism involving removal of H3K9me3 from the promoter of the Il3ra gene. Importantly, ectopic expression of Il3ra in Jmjd2/Kdm4 knockout cells alleviates the requirement of Jmjd2/Kdm4 for the survival of AML cells, showing that Il3ra is a critical downstream target of Jmjd2/Kdm4 in leukemia. These results suggest that the JMJD2/KDM4 proteins are promising drug targets for the treatment of AML.

AB - Acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) with a rearrangement of the mixed-linage leukemia (MLL) gene are aggressive hematopoietic malignancies. Here, we explored the feasibility of using the H3K9- and H3K36-specific demethylases Jmjd2/Kdm4 as putative drug targets in MLL-AF9 translocated leukemia. Using Jmjd2a, Jmjd2b, and Jmjd2c conditional triple-knockout mice, we show that Jmjd2/Kdm4 activities are required for MLL-AF9 translocated AML in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrate that expression of the interleukin 3 receptor α (Il3ra also known as Cd123) subunit is dependent on Jmjd2/Kdm4 through a mechanism involving removal of H3K9me3 from the promoter of the Il3ra gene. Importantly, ectopic expression of Il3ra in Jmjd2/Kdm4 knockout cells alleviates the requirement of Jmjd2/Kdm4 for the survival of AML cells, showing that Il3ra is a critical downstream target of Jmjd2/Kdm4 in leukemia. These results suggest that the JMJD2/KDM4 proteins are promising drug targets for the treatment of AML.

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.1101/gad.280495.116

DO - 10.1101/gad.280495.116

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27257215

SN - 0890-9369

VL - 30

SP - 1278

EP - 1288

JO - Genes & Development

JF - Genes & Development

IS - 11

ER -