Ectopic expression of the histone methyltransferase Ezh2 in haematopoietic stem cells causes myeloproliferative disease

Abstract

Recent evidence shows increased and decreased expression of Ezh2 in cancer, suggesting a dual role as an oncogene or tumour suppressor. To investigate the mechanism by which Ezh2-mediated H3K27 methylation leads to cancer, we generated conditional Ezh2 knock-in (Ezh2-KI) mice. Here we show that induced Ezh2 haematopoietic expression increases the number and proliferation of repopulating haematopoietic stem cells. Ezh2-KI mice develop myeloproliferative disorder, featuring excessive myeloid expansion in bone marrow and spleen, leukocytosis and splenomegaly. Competitive and serial transplantations demonstrate progressive myeloid commitment of Ezh2-KI haematopoietic stem cells. Transplanted self-renewing haematopoietic stem cells from Ezh2-KI mice induce myeloproliferative disorder, suggesting that the Ezh2 gain-of-function arises in the haematopoietic stem cell pool, and not at later stages of myelopoiesis. At the molecular level, Ezh2 regulates haematopoietic stem cell-specific genes such as Evi-1 and Ntrk3, aberrantly found in haematologic malignancies. These results demonstrate a stem cell-specific Ezh2 oncogenic role in myeloid disorders, and suggest possible therapeutic applications in Ezh2-related haematological malignancies. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.