The t(8;21) Fusion Product, AML-1–ETO, Associates with C/EBP-α, Inhibits C/EBP-α-Dependent Transcription, and Blocks Granulocytic Differentiation

AML-1B is a hematopoietic transcription factor that is functionally inactivated by multiple chromosomal translocations in human acute myeloblastic and B-cell lymphocytic leukemias. The t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation replaces the C terminus, including the transactivation domain of AML-1B, with ETO, a nuclear protein of unknown function. We previously showed that AML-1–ETO is a dominant inhibitor of AML-1B-dependent transcriptional activation. Here we demonstrate that AML-1–ETO also inhibits C/EBP-α-dependent activation of the myeloid cell-specific, rat defensin NP-3 promoter. AML-1B bound the core enhancer motifs present in the NP-3 promoter and activated transcription approximately sixfold. Similarly, C/EBP-α bound NP-3 promoter sequences and activated transcription approximately sixfold. Coexpression of C/EBP-α with AML-1B or its family members, AML-2 and murine AML-3, synergistically activated the NP-3 promoter up to 60-fold. The t(8;21) product, AML-1–ETO, repressed AML-1B-dependent activation of NP-3 and completely inhibited C/EBP-α-dependent activity as well as the synergistic activation. In contrast, theinv(16) product, which indirectly targets AML family members by fusing their heterodimeric DNA binding partner, CBF-β, to the myosin heavy chain, inhibited AML-1B but not C/EBP-α activation or the synergistic activation. AML-1–ETO and C/EBP-α were coimmunoprecipitated and thus physically interact in vivo. Deletion mutants demonstrated that the C terminus of ETO was required for AML-1–ETO-mediated repression of the synergistic activation but not for association with C/EBP-α. Finally, overexpression of AML-1–ETO in myeloid progenitor cells prevented granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced differentiation. Thus, AML-1–ETO may contribute to leukemogenesis by specifically inhibiting C/EBP-α- and AML-1B-dependent activation of myeloid promoters and blocking differentiation.