The role of HOX homeobox genes in normal and leukemic hematopoiesis.

A sizable amount of new data points to a role for the HOX family of homeobox genes in hematopoiesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that HOXA and HOXB genes are expressed in human CD34+ cells, and are downregulated as cells leave the CD34+ compartment. In addition, expression of certain genes, including HOXB3 and HOXB4, is largely restricted to the long-term culture-initiating cell enriched pool, containing the putative stem cell population. Studies have also shown that HOX genes appear to be important for normal T lymphocyte and activated natural killer cell function. Overexpression of Hox-b4 in transplanted murine marrow cell results in a dramatic expansion of stem cells, while maintaining normal peripheral blood counts. In contrast, overexpression of Hox-a10 resulted in expansion of progenitor pools, accompanied by unique changes in the differentiation patterns of committed progenitors. Overexpression of Hox-a10 or Hox-b8 led to the development of myeloid leukemias, while animals transfected with marrow cells overexpressing Hox-b4 do not appear to develop malignancies. Blockade of HOX gene function using antisense oligonucleotides has revealed that several HOX genes appear to influence either myeloid or erythroid colony formation. Mice homozygous for a targeted disruption of the HOX-a9 gene show reduced numbers of granulocytes and lymphocytes, smaller spleens and thymuses, and reduced numbers of committed progenitors. These studies demonstrate that HOX homeobox genes play a role in both the early stem cell function as well as in later stages of hematopoietic differentiation, and that perturbations of HOX gene expression can be leukemogenic.