DNA-damage induced differentiation of leukemic cells as an anti-cancer barrier

Here we show that the histone methyltransferase MLL4 (Kmt2d) is required for stem cell activity and an aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring the MLL-AF9 oncogene. MLL4 exerts its function by regulating transcriptional programs associated with the anti-oxidant response. The role of Mll4 (Kmt2d) in regulating the transcriptome of primary and transformed hematopoietic stem cells was studied.