Phase separation of PML/RARα and BRD4 coassembled microspeckles governs transcriptional dysregulation in acute promyelocytic leukemia

Abstract

In acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), the promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML/RARα) fusion protein destroys PML nuclear bodies (NBs), leading to the formation of microspeckles. However, our understanding, largely learned from morphological observations, lacks insight into the mechanisms behind PML/RARα-mediated microspeckle formation and its role in APL leukemogenesis. This study presents evidence uncovering liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) as a key mechanism in the formation of PML/RARα-mediated microspeckles. This process is facilitated by the intrinsically disordered region containing a large portion of PML and a smaller segment of RARα. We demonstrate the coassembly of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) within PML/RARα-mediated condensates, differing from wild-type PML-formed NBs. In the absence of PML/RARα, PML NBs and BRD4 puncta exist as two independent phases, but the presence of PML/RARα disrupts PML NBs and redistributes PML and BRD4 into a distinct phase, forming PML/RARα-assembled microspeckles. Genome-wide profiling reveals a PML/RARα-induced BRD4 redistribution across the genome, with preferential binding to super-enhancers and broad-promoters (SEBPs). Mechanistically, BRD4 is recruited by PML/RARα into nuclear condensates, facilitating BRD4 chromatin binding to exert transcriptional activation essential for APL survival. Perturbing LLPS through chemical inhibition (1, 6-hexanediol) significantly reduces chromatin co-occupancy of PML/RARα and BRD4, attenuating their target gene activation. Finally, a series of experimental validations in primary APL patient samples confirm that PML/RARα forms microspeckles through condensates, recruits BRD4 to coassemble condensates, and co-occupies SEBP regions. Our findings elucidate the biophysical, pathological, and transcriptional dynamics of PML/RARα-assembled microspeckles, underscoring the importance of BRD4 in mediating transcriptional activation that enables PML/RARα to initiate APL.