The ESCRT protein CHMP5 promotes T cell leukemia by controlling BRD4-p300-dependent transcription

Oncogene activity rewires cellular transcription, creating new transcription networks to which cancer cells become addicted, by mechanisms that are still poorly understood. Using human and mouse models of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we identify an essential nuclear role for CHMP5, a cytoplasmic endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) protein, in establishing and maintaining the T-ALL transcriptional program. Nuclear CHMP5 promoted the T-ALL gene program by augmenting recruitment of the co-activator BRD4 by the histone acetyl transferase p300 selectively at enhancers and super-enhancers, an interaction that potentiated H3K27 acetylation at these regulatory enhancers. Consequently, loss of CHMP5 diminished BRD4 occupancy at enhancers and super-enhancers and impaired RNA polymerase II pause release, which resulted in downregulation of key T-ALL genes, notably MYC. Reinforcing its importance in T-ALL pathogenesis, CHMP5 deficiency mitigated chemoresistance in human T-ALL cells and abrogated T-ALL induction by oncogenic NOTCH1 in vivo. Thus, the ESCRT protein CHMP5 is an essential positive regulator of the transcriptional machinery promoting T-ALL disease. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/577409v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (59K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@191e10dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@4e5093org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18c0a08org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@e6a887_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIIdentification of a nuclear role for the cytosolic ESCRT protein CHMP5 in transcription C_LIO_LICHMP5 mediates BRD4-dependent Pol II pause release and transcription of T-ALL genes C_LIO_LIP300-BRD4 induced enhancer and super-enhancer H3K27 acetylation requires CHMP5 C_LIO_LICHMP5 depletion mitigates chemoresistance and abrogates T-ALL initiation in vivo C_LI