Deregulation of DUX4 and ERG in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chromosomal rearrangements deregulating hematopoietic transcription factors are common leukemia-initiating lesions in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here, we show that deregulation of the homeobox transcription factor gene DUX4 and the ETS transcription factor gene ERG are hallmarks of a subtype of B-progenitor ALL with a distinct gene expression profile that comprises up to 7% of B-ALL. DUX4 rearrangement and overexpression is present in all cases, and is accompanied by profound transcriptional deregulation of ERG, frequent ERG deletion and expression of a truncated ERG isoform, ERGalt. ERGalt utilizes a non-canonical first exon that is bound by DUX4 and induces its expression....EGA study EGAS00001001923