Homoharringtonine Promotes <scp>FTO</scp> Degradation to Suppress <scp>LILRB4</scp> ‐Mediated Immune Evasion in Acute Monocytic Leukaemia

Acute monocytic leukaemia, a subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), is a highly aggressive malignancy characterised by a poor prognosis, primarily due to the ability of leukaemic cells to evade immune surveillance. In this study, we demonstrate that homoharringtonine (HHT), an FDA-approved therapeutic agent for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), inhibits this immune evasion by targeting the FTO/m6A/LILRB4 signalling pathway in monocytic AML. Utilising RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and various functional assays, we reveal that HHT treatment significantly reduces LILRB4 expression at both the RNA and protein levels, suggesting that the effects of HHT on LILRB4 are distinct from its well-established role as a protein synthesis inhibitor. Mechanistically, HHT treatment markedly increases global levels of RNA m6A in THP-1 cells by promoting the degradation of FTO, which subsequently diminishes the expression of its downstream targets, MLL1 and LILRB4. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo analyses employing monocytic AML cell lines, mouse-derived AML xenograft models, and patient samples collectively support the conclusion that HHT suppresses immune evasion in monocytic AML by reducing LILRB4 expression. Importantly, the downregulation of LILRB4 resulting from HHT treatment enhances the susceptibility of THP-1 cells to CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell cytotoxicity, accompanied by increased markers of immune activation. Overall, our findings position HHT as a promising clinical agent for enhancing CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell-based cancer immunotherapy by mitigating immune evasion in monocytic AML.

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Journal
Cell Proliferation
Published
2025-07-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/cpr.70090
Citations
3
Primary Topic
RNA modifications and cancer
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.42

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article

Homoharringtonine Promotes FTO Degradation to Suppress LILRB4 ‐Mediated Immune Evasion in Acute Monocytic Leukaemia

HU Die, Xiuli Hong, Ming Jiang, Qiang Luo et al.
3 citations
Cell Proliferation
RNA modifications and cancer
2.42
article

Homoharringtonine Promotes FTO Degradation to Suppress LILRB4 ‐Mediated Immune Evasion in Acute Monocytic Leukaemia

HU Die, Xiuli Hong, Ming Jiang, Qiang Luo, Fangfang Huang, Le Jin, Jun Wu, Peihan Chen, Jin-Zhang Zeng, Chaoyong James Yang, Xiang Luo, Chenyu Xu, Bin Zhang, Mengyu Zhang, Rui Gao, Shengwei Hu, Wenxin Sun, Siming Chen, Quanyi Lu
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Acute monocytic leukaemia, a subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), is a highly aggressive malignancy characterised by a poor prognosis, primarily due to the ability of leukaemic cells to evade immune surveillance. In this study, we demonstrate that homoharringtonine (HHT), an FDA-approved therapeutic agent for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), inhibits this immune evasion by targeting the FTO/m6A/LILRB4 signalling pathway in monocytic AML. Utilising RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and various functional assays, we reveal that HHT treatment significantly reduces LILRB4 expression at both the RNA and protein levels, suggesting that the effects of HHT on LILRB4 are distinct from its well-established role as a protein synthesis inhibitor. Mechanistically, HHT treatment markedly increases global levels of RNA m6A in THP-1 cells by promoting the degradation of FTO, which subsequently diminishes the expression of its downstream targets, MLL1 and LILRB4. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo analyses employing monocytic AML cell lines, mouse-derived AML xenograft models, and patient samples collectively support the conclusion that HHT suppresses immune evasion in monocytic AML by reducing LILRB4 expression. Importantly, the downregulation of LILRB4 resulting from HHT treatment enhances the susceptibility of THP-1 cells to CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell cytotoxicity, accompanied by increased markers of immune activation. Overall, our findings position HHT as a promising clinical agent for enhancing CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell-based cancer immunotherapy by mitigating immune evasion in monocytic AML.

Cell ProliferationVol. 59(2)
Xiamen University (CN), Dalian Medical University (CN), First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University (CN), Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University (CN), City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute (CN), Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University (CN), Xiamen Chang Gung Hospital (CN), Xiamen University of Technology (CN), Chongqing Medical University (CN)
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province, Chongqing Medical University, Xiamen University, Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 11%
RNA modifications and cancer
2.42
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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