Regulation of MYB by distal enhancer elements in human myeloid leukemia

Cell Death Dis. 2021 Feb 26;12(2):223. doi: 10.1038/s41419-021-03515-z.

Abstract

MYB plays vital roles in regulating proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitor cells, dysregulation of MYB has been implicated in the pathogenesis of leukemia. Although the transcription of MYB has been well studied, its detailed underlying regulatory mechanisms still remain elusive. Here, we detected the long-range interaction between the upstream regions, -34k and -88k, and the MYB promoter in K562, U937, and HL-60 cells using circularized chromosome conformation capture (4C) assay, which declined when MYB was downregulated during chemical-induced differentiation. The enrichment of enhancer markers, H3K4me1 and H3K27ac, and enhancer activity at the -34k and -88k regions were confirmed by ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assay respectively. ChIP-qPCR showed the dynamic binding of GATA1, TAL1, and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBPβ) at -34k and -88k during differentiation of K562 cells. Epigenome editing by a CRISPR-Cas9-based method showed that H3K27ac at -34k enhanced TF binding and MYB expression, while DNA methylation inhibited MYB expression. Taken together, our data revealed that enhancer elements at -34k are required for MYB expression, TF binding, and epigenetic modification are closely involved in this process in human myeloid leukemia cells.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta / metabolism
  • Cell Differentiation
  • DNA Methylation
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • GATA1 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • HL-60 Cells
  • Humans
  • K562 Cells
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / pathology
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb / metabolism
  • T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Protein 1 / metabolism
  • U937 Cells

Substances

  • CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta
  • CEBPB protein, human
  • GATA1 Transcription Factor
  • GATA1 protein, human
  • MYB protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb
  • T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Protein 1
  • TAL1 protein, human