Anti-leukemia activity of bortezomib through GATA2-WT1 axis in acute myeloid leukemia

GATA2 is a transcription factor essential for hematopoietic differentiation and lymphatic system formation. High expression of GATA2 has been implicated in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. Bortezomib has a good effect in MM. However, the mechanism of bortezomib possesses anti-self-renewal and leukemogenesis in AML is still unclear. Here, we reported that GATA2 and WT1 protein is degraded by bortezomib. The half-life of GATA2 mRNA was obviously shorter in Bortezomib-treated cells. Knockdown of GATA2 by small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) has potential anti-leukemia activity in leukemic cells. Bortezomib inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptotic death without activation of caspases pathway. Finally, bortezomib decreased xenograft tumor size in a xenograft leukemia mouse model, and prolonged the survival time in mouse C1498 AML model. Collectively, bortezomib might be a potential treatment for AML. RNA sequencing from K562 cells treated with or without bortezomib