miR-126 governs human leukemia stem cell quiescence and therapeutic resistance [Illumina]

In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), leukemia stem cells (LSCs) play a central role in disease progression and recurrence due to their intrinsic capacity for self-renewal and chemotherapy resistance. Whereas epigenetic regulation balances normal blood stem cell self-renewal and fate decisions, mutation and dysregulation of epigenetic modifiers are now considered fundamental to leukemia initiation and progression. Alterations in miRNA function represent a non-canonical epigenetic mechanism influencing malignant hematopoiesis; however, the function of miRNA in LSC remains undetermined. Here we show that miRNA profiling of fractionated AML populations defines an LSC-specific signature that is highly predictive of patient survival. Gain-of-function genetic analysis demonstrated that miR-126 restrained cell cycle progression, prevented LSC differentiation, and increased LSC self-renewal. miR-126 promoted chemo-resistance, preserving LSC quiescence in part through suppression of the G0-to-G1 gatekeeper, CDK3. Thus, in AML, miRNAs influence patient outcome through post-transcriptional regulation of stemness programs in LSC.

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Lechman ER, Gentner B, Ng SWK, Schoof EM, van Galen P, Kennedy JA, Nucera S, Ciceri F, Kaufmann KB, Takayama N, Dobson SM, Trotman-Grant A, Krivdova G, Elzinga J, Mitchell A, Nilsson B, Hermans KG, Eppert K, Marke R, Isserlin R, Voisin V, Bader GD, Zandstra PW, Golub TR, Ebert BL, Lu J, Minden M, Wang JCY, Naldini L, Dick JE