C/EBPβ regulates transcription factors critical for proliferation and survival of multiple myeloma cells

R Pal, M Janz, DL Galson, M Gries, S Li… - Blood, The Journal …, 2009 - ashpublications.org
R Pal, M Janz, DL Galson, M Gries, S Li, K Jöhrens, I Anagnostopoulos, B Dörken…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2009ashpublications.org
CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), also known as nuclear factor–interleukin-6
(NF-IL6), is a transcription factor that plays an important role in the regulation of growth and
differentiation of myeloid and lymphoid cells. Mice deficient in C/EBPβ show impaired
generation of B lymphocytes. We show that C/EBPβ regulates transcription factors critical for
proliferation and survival in multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma cell lines and primary
multiple myeloma cells strongly expressed C/EBPβ, whereas normal B cells and plasma …
Abstract
CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), also known as nuclear factor–interleukin-6 (NF-IL6), is a transcription factor that plays an important role in the regulation of growth and differentiation of myeloid and lymphoid cells. Mice deficient in C/EBPβ show impaired generation of B lymphocytes. We show that C/EBPβ regulates transcription factors critical for proliferation and survival in multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma cell lines and primary multiple myeloma cells strongly expressed C/EBPβ, whereas normal B cells and plasma cells had little or no detectable levels of C/EBPβ. Silencing of C/EBPβ led to down-regulation of transcription factors such as IRF4, XBP1, and BLIMP1 accompanied by a strong inhibition of proliferation. Further, silencing of C/EBPβ led to a complete down-regulation of antiapoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) expression. In chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, C/EBPβ directly bound to the promoter region of IRF4, BLIMP1, and BCL2. Our data indicate that C/EBPβ is involved in the regulatory network of transcription factors that are critical for plasma cell differentiation and survival. Targeting C/EBPβ may provide a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
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