Growth factor independence 1 (Gfi1) as a new target for leukemia therapy

Using (conditional) Gfi1 knock-out mice we show that ablation of the transcriptional repressor Gfi1 cures mice from lymphoid leukemia and reduces the expansion of primary human T-ALL xenografts in mice. We find that Gfi1 alters the p53 dependent transcriptional activation of a substantial subset of known p53 target genes and thus sets a threshold for cell death.

20