High expression of long non-coding RNA H19 is required for efficient tumorigenesis induced by Bcr-Abl oncogene.

Dysregulation of non-coding RNA H19 has been observed in various tumors. However, it remains unknown whether H19 is involved in Bcr-Abl-induced leukemia. Here, we demonstrate a critical requirement for H19 in Bcr-Abl-mediated tumorigenesis. H19 was highly expressed in Bcr-Abl-transformed cell lines and primary cells derived from patients in a Bcr-Abl kinase-dependent manner. Silencing H19 expression sensitized leukemic cells to undergo imatinib-induced apoptosis and inhibited Bcr-Abl-induced tumor growth. Furthermore, H19 was shown to be regulated by c-Myc in Bcr-Abl-expressing cells. These results reveal an important role H19 plays in Bcr-Abl-mediated transformation and provide novel insights into complex mechanisms underlying Bcr-Abl-induced cancers.