Epigenetic reactivation of the tumor suppressor ZBTB7A by KDM4 inhibition in human acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract

Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) imparts a cellular fitness in cancers, including in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The detection of silenced TSGs without direct mutations presents challenges in designing targeted cancer treatments, yet it also opens a therapeutic opportunity to restore their function. In this study, we identified the transcriptional repressor <i>ZBTB7A</i> as a TSG that is down-regulated in samples from patients with AML and is associated with poor survival outcomes. Loss of ZBTB7A amplifies TNF signaling, driving a dysfunctional inflammatory state that accelerates AML progression in vivo. Mechanistically, the mRNA decay factor ZFP36L2 binds to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of <i>ZBTB7A</i>, promoting its transcript degradation in human AML cells. To identify therapeutic targets, we developed a CRISPR-based screening approach coupled with fluorescence in situ hybridization and flow cytometry (FISH-Flow), pinpointing the KDM4 family of histone demethylases as a vulnerability to restore ZBTB7A function. Pharmacologic inhibition of KDM4 up-regulated ZBTB7A expression, promoted terminal differentiation in patient-derived xenograft models, and demonstrated broad antileukemic efficacy across AML subtypes as well as preserved normal hematopoiesis. These findings reveal regulatory mechanisms of ZBTB7A and support epigenetic therapy as a promising strategy to reactivate its tumor suppressor function in hematologic cancers.