KLF4/MLL3 complex axis drives NRBP2 transcription to eliminate acute myeloid leukemia cells.
TL;DR
A molecular mechanism by which KLF4 governs AML progression is revealed, providing a novel therapeutic target and a potential small-molecule inhibitor for AML treatment.
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous malignancy rooted in hematopoietic stem cell dysregulation. Here, we identify the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) as a potent suppressor of AML growth, with KLF4 overexpression markedly impairing AML cell proliferation. Mechanistically, KLF4 interacts with the lysine methyltransferase 2 C (MLL3/KMT2C) histone methyltransferase complex to activate transcription of nuclear receptor-binding protein 2 (NRBP2), a pseudokinase. Furthermore, integrated transcriptomic and functional analyses identify TNIK (TRAF2- and NCK-interacting kinase) as a pro-leukemic downstream effector restrained by the KLF4-NRBP2 axis. Pharmacological inhibition of TNIK with TNIK-IN-1 inhibits AML cell growth while exerting limited effects on normal hematopoietic cells. Together, these findings establish a KLF4/MLL3 complex-NRBP2 regulatory axis that restrains AML growth through suppression of TNIK expression and provide a rationale for further preclinical evaluation of TNIK inhibition as a therapeutic strategy in AML. Schematic model illustrating the mechanism by which the KLF4/MLL3 complex/NRBP2 axis regulates the progression of AML. In AML cells with basal KLF4 expression, higher expression of TNIK promotes the proliferation of AML cells (upper). Upon KLF4 overexpression, the TRD and ZnF domains of KLF4 bind to MLL3, which facilitates the recruitment of the MLL3 complex to the NRBP2 cis-regulatory regions. This activates NRBP2 transcription and subsequently downregulates TNIK expression, leading to the suppression of AML cell proliferation. Pharmacological inhibition of TNIK by TNIK-IN-1 reduces TNIK protein levels, represses AML cell growth, and induces cell apoptosis (lower). This study reveals a molecular mechanism by which KLF4 governs AML progression, providing a novel therapeutic target and a potential small-molecule inhibitor for AML treatment (Created in BioRender. he, Y. (2026) https://BioRender.com/q0q3j3q ).