WT1-mediated pathway of transcriptional regulation and leukemia / 中国实验血液学杂志

ABSTRACT

WT1 gene encodes a zinc finger transcription factor that regulates transcription of its downstream genes. Some of target genes for WT1 are involved in regulating both cell cycle and cellular proliferation and differentiation. However, WT1 itself is regulated by its upstream genes such as NF-kappaB and GATA-1. Thus there exists a pathway of transcriptional regulation mediated by WT1, which controls development of hematopoietic system. Leukemia results from disrupting the homeostasis among hematopoietic proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis, which is often the consequence of an inappropriate expression of transcription factors and subsequent disruption of the normal gene expression pattern. This article reviews the relationship between the WT1-mediated pathway of transcriptional regulation and leukemia.