Epigenetic modification of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha expression in acute myeloid leukemia.

Functional loss of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha), a master regulatory transcription factor in the hematopoietic system, can result in a differentiation block in granulopoiesis and thus contribute to leukemic transformation. Here, we show the effect of epigenetic aberrations in regulating C/EBP alpha expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Comprehensive DNA methylation analyses of the CpG island of C/EBP alpha identified a densely methylated upstream promoter region in 51% of AML patients.