Hematopoietic Expression of Hoxb4 Is Regulated in Normal and Leukemic Stem Cells through Transcriptional Activation of the Hoxb4 Promoter by Upstream Stimulating Factor (Usf)-1 and Usf-2

The homeobox genes encode a family of transcription factors that regulate development and postnatal tissue homeostasis. Since HOXB4 plays a key role in regulating the balance between hematopoietic stem cell renewal and differentiation, we studied the molecular regulation of HOXB4 expression in human hematopoietic stem cells. HOXB4 expression in K562 cells is regulated at the level of transcription, and transient transfection defines primary HOXB4 regulatory sequences within a 99-bp 5′ promoter. Culture of highly purified human CD34+ bone marrow cells in thrombopoietin/Flt-3 ligand/stem cell factor induced HOXB4 3–10-fold, whereas culture in granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, only increased HOXB4/luciferase expression 20–50%. Mutations within the HOXB4 promoter identified a potential E box binding site (HOX response element [HXRE]-2) as the most critical regulatory sequence, and yeast one hybrid assays evaluating bone marrow and K562 libraries for HXRE-2 interaction identified upstream stimulating factor (USF)-2 and micropthalmia transcription factor (MITF). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay with K562 extracts confirmed that these proteins, along with USF-1, bind t