Oncogenic Transcription Factor Evi1Regulates Hematopoietic Stem Cell Proliferation through GATA-2Expression.

Chromosomal abnormalities, such as translocation, mutation or deletion, are central to the pathogenesis of human cancers. Recently, several transcription factors have been isolated as genes responsible for leukemia from the region surrounding chromosomal breakpoints, which are implicated in the regulation of normal hematopoiesis. Among on them, ecotropic viral integration site-1 (Evi1) is a transcription factor activated by retroviral integration in murine leukemias and chromosomal rearrangements in human leukemias. Evi1is a zinc finger transcription factor and contains two separated DNA-binding domains. It was reported that Evi1−/− embryos die at approximately E10.5, exhibiting widespread hypocellularity and hemorrhaging. However, the role in normal hematopoiesis or authentic target genes of Evi1has not been elucidated.