The t(3;21) fusion product, AML1/Evi-1 blocks AML1-induced transactivation by recruiting CtBP

AML1/Evi-1 is a chimeric protein that is derived from t(3;21), found in blastic transformation of chronic myelogenous leukemia. It is composed of the N-terminal AML1 portion with the DNA-binding Runt domain and the C-terminal Evi-1 portion. It has been shown to dominantly repress AML1-induced transactivation. The mechanism for it has been mainly attributed to competition with AML1 for the DNA-binding and for the interaction with PEBP2β (CBFβ), a partner protein which heterodimerizes with AML1. It was recently found that Evi-1 interacts with C-terminal binding protein (CtBP) to repress TGFβ-induced transactivation. Here, we demonstrate that AML1/Evi-1 interacts with CtBP in SKH1 cells, a leukemic cell line which endogenously overexpresses AML1/Evi-1 and that AML1/Evi-1 requires the interaction with CtBP to repress AML1-induced transactivation. The association with CtBP is also required when AML1/Evi-1 blocks myeloid differentiation of 32Dcl3 cells induced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Taken together, it is suggested that one of the mechanisms for AML1/Evi-1-associated leukemogenesis should be an aberrant recruitment of a corepressor complex by the chimeric protein.