Non-genetic remodeling drives leukemia propagation and reveals actionable vulnerabilities in acute myeloid leukemia.

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) persistence and relapse are sustained by leukemia-propagating cells, yet the molecular programs supporting their expansion during disease evolution remain incompletely understood. Using serial patient-derived xenotransplantation, we establish a longitudinal model in which leukemia-initiating capacity progressively increases. Integrated single-cell transcriptomics and multi-omics profiling reveal a predominantly non-genetic trajectory that follows a conserved pattern across models and is associated with coordinated changes across epigenetic, transcriptional, and proteomic layers. Ribosome profiling and rRNA 2'-O-methylation analyses further support a stage-specific increase in translational activity with ribosome remodeling in advanced xenografts. A pharmacological screen of 3,247 compounds uncovers a limited set of vulnerabilities that consistently emerge during disease progression, including CRBN-dependent degradation of GSPT1 (CC-885) and IAP antagonism (AZD5582). In vivo validation shows that both agents markedly reduce leukemic burden, impair leukemia propagation, and enhance cytarabine activity in patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Together, these findings show that leukemic propagation is driven by a non-genetic remodeling program, providing a framework to prioritize and test stage-specific therapeutic strategies in AML.