Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
Division of Molecular Hematology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Blood. 2021 Jun 3;137(22):3037-3049. doi: 10.1182/blood.2020009564.
Genes encoding B lineage-restricted transcription factors are frequently mutated in B-lymphoid leukemias, suggesting a close link between normal and malignant B-cell development. One of these transcription factors is early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1), a protein of critical importance for lineage specification and survival of B-lymphoid progenitors. Here, we report that impaired EBF1 function in mouse B-cell progenitors results in reduced expression of Myc. Ectopic expression of MYC partially rescued B-cell expansion in the absence of EBF1 both in vivo and in vitro. Using chromosome conformation analysis in combination with ATAC-sequencing, chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing, and reporter gene assays, six EBF1-responsive enhancer elements were identified within the Myc locus. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated targeting of EBF1-binding sites identified one element of key importance for Myc expression and pro-B cell expansion. These data provide evidence that Myc is a direct target of EBF1. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing analysis revealed that several regulatory elements in the Myc locus are targets of PAX5. However, ectopic expression of PAX5 in EBF1-deficient cells inhibits the cell cycle and reduces Myc expression, suggesting that EBF1 and PAX5 act in an opposing manner to regulate Myc levels. This hypothesis is further substantiated by the finding that Pax5 inactivation reduces requirements for EBF1 in pro-B-cell expansion. The binding of EBF1 and PAX5 to regulatory elements in the human MYC gene in a B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line indicates that the EBF1:PAX5:MYC regulatory loop is conserved and may control both normal and malignant B-cell development.
编码 B 细胞谱系限制转录因子的基因在 B 淋巴细胞白血病中经常发生突变,这表明正常和恶性 B 细胞发育之间存在密切联系。这些转录因子之一是早期 B 细胞因子 1(EBF1),它是 B 淋巴细胞祖细胞谱系特异性和存活的关键蛋白。在这里,我们报告说,小鼠 B 细胞祖细胞中 EBF1 功能受损会导致 Myc 的表达减少。MYC 的异位表达部分挽救了缺乏 EBF1 时体内和体外 B 细胞的扩增。使用染色体构象分析与 ATAC-seq、染色质免疫沉淀测序和报告基因测定相结合,在 Myc 基因座内鉴定出六个 EBF1 反应性增强子元件。CRISPR-Cas9 介导的 EBF1 结合位点靶向确定了 Myc 表达和前 B 细胞扩增的一个关键元件。这些数据提供了证据表明 Myc 是 EBF1 的直接靶标。此外,染色质免疫沉淀测序分析显示,Myc 基因座中的几个调节元件是 PAX5 的靶标。然而,在 EBF1 缺陷细胞中异位表达 PAX5 会抑制细胞周期并降低 Myc 表达,表明 EBF1 和 PAX5 以相反的方式作用以调节 Myc 水平。这一假设进一步得到以下发现的证实:PAX5 失活降低了前 B 细胞扩增对 EBF1 的需求。EBF1 和 PAX5 与 B 细胞急性淋巴细胞白血病细胞系中人类 MYC 基因调节元件的结合表明,EBF1:PAX5:MYC 调节环是保守的,可能控制正常和恶性 B 细胞发育。