Molecular basis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is frequently associated with recurring chromosomal translocations, which lead to the fusion of two genes encoding transcription factors. As the moieties of these fusion proteins retain part of the functional domains of the wild-type proteins, they may interfere directly or indirectly with the transcriptional regulation of the leukemic cell, conferring survival advantage. The majority of the transcription factors commonly involved in recurring chromosomal translocations may be grouped in one of the following families: core binding factor (CBF), retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha), homeobox (HOX) family, and mixed lineage leukemia (MLL). In vivo analysis of the molecular basis of leukemogenesis through the generation of transgenic mouse models revealed that a common theme is the recruitment of transcriptional co-activators and co-repressors by these fusion proteins. However, the expression of the fusion protein is not sufficient to induce full blown leukemia, as evidenced in part by the long latencies required for disease development in the transgenic models of leukemia, and therefore, second mutagenic events may contribute to AML pathogenesis.