Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Hox family of homeodomain transcription factors plays an important role in regulating definitive hematopoiesis. Recent studies indicate that a common characteristic of poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia is dysregulated expression of a key group of these Hox proteins. The purpose of this review is to outline recent progress in understanding the role that dysregulation of HOX-gene expression plays in the pathogenesis of myeloid leukemogenesis. RECENT FINDINGS: A number of recent studies correlate increased expression of HOXA-genes with poor prognosis cytogenetics in acute myeloid leukemia and mixed lineage leukemia. These studies determine that specific ABD HOXA-genes (HoxA7, 9 and 10) are dysregulated as a group. Many such studies also document co-overexpression of homeodomain proteins of the Meis and Pbx families in poor prognosis leukemia. This is of interest, since Meis and Pbx proteins are common DNA-binding partners for Hox proteins. SUMMARY: These findings suggest that a key characteristic of poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia is increased, differentiation-stage inappropriate expression of the Abd HoxA proteins and their DNA-binding partners. Such results suggest that dysregulation of the 'Hox code' is important in the pathogenesis of myeloid malignancy.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 85-89 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Current opinion in hematology |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2007 |
Keywords
- Gene transcription
- Hox
- Leukemogenesis
- Myelopoiesis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Hematology