Topoisomerase IIβ Negatively Modulates Retinoic Acid Receptor α Function: a Novel Mechanism of Retinoic Acid Resistance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Interactions between retinoic acid (RA) receptor α (RARα) and coregulators play a key role in coordinating gene transcription and myeloid differentiation. In patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), the RARα gene is fused with the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) gene via the t(15;17) translocation, resulting in the expression of a PML/RARα fusion protein. Here, we report that topoisomerase II beta (TopoIIβ) associates with and negatively modulates RARα transcriptional activity and that increased levels of and association with TopoIIβ cause resistance to RA in APL cell lines. Knockdown of TopoIIβ was able to overcome resistance by permitting RA-induced differentiation and increased RA gene expression. Overexpression of TopoIIβ in clones from an RA-sensitive cell line conferred resistance by a reduction in RA-induced expression of target genes and differentiation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays indicated that TopoIIβ is bound to an RA response element and that inhibition of TopoIIβ causes hyperacetylation of histone 3 at lysine 9 and activation of transcription. Our results identify a novel mechanism of resistance in APL and provide further insight to the role of TopoIIβ in gene regulation and differentiation.