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  • IRF2BP2 counteracts the ATF...
    Fischer, Sabrina; Weber, Lisa Marie; Stielow, Bastian; Frech, Miriam; Simon, Clara; Geller, Merle; Könnecke, Julie; Finkernagel, Florian; Forné, Ignasi; Nist, Andrea; Bauer, Uta-Maria; Stiewe, Thorsten; Neubauer, Andreas; Liefke, Robert

    Nucleic acids research, 05/2024, Volume: 52, Issue: 13
    Journal Article

    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematological malignancy characterized by abnormal proliferation and accumulation of immature myeloid cells in the bone marrow. Inflammation plays a crucial role in AML progression, but excessive activation of cell-intrinsic inflammatory pathways can also trigger cell death. IRF2BP2 is a chromatin regulator implicated in AML pathogenesis, although its precise role in this disease is not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that IRF2BP2 interacts with the AP-1 heterodimer ATF7/JDP2, which is involved in activating inflammatory pathways in AML cells. We show that IRF2BP2 is recruited by the ATF7/JDP2 dimer to chromatin and counteracts its gene-activating function. Loss of IRF2BP2 leads to overactivation of inflammatory pathways, resulting in strongly reduced proliferation. Our research indicates that a precise equilibrium between activating and repressive transcriptional mechanisms creates a pro-oncogenic inflammatory environment in AML cells. The ATF7/JDP2-IRF2BP2 regulatory axis is likely a key regulator of this process and may, therefore, represent a promising therapeutic vulnerability for AML. Thus, our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying AML pathogenesis and identifies a potential therapeutic target for AML treatment.