CD56 expression in human myeloma cells derived from the neurogenic gene expression: possible role of the SRY-HMG box gene, SOX4

CD56 is frequently detected on primary myeloma cells from more than 80% patients with overt myeloma. In order to clarify the possible mechanisms of CD56 expression in human myeloma, we underwent screening for potential targets by microarray analysis, where the CD56(+) myeloma cell lines showed markedly increased expressions of transcription factors involved in the neuronal cell lineage compared to the CD56(-) myeloma cell lines. Here, we show that among the SOX family of transcription factors, SOX4 was highly up-regulated and SOX1 was down-regulated in the CD56(+) myeloma cell lines as well as in primary myeloma cases as confirmed by the RT-PCR. ChIP analysis of the CD56 promoter region showed specific bindings of SOX4 in the CD56(+) and SOX1 in the CD56(-) myeloma cell lines, respectively. shRNA against SOX1 failed to induce CD56 expression in CD56(-) myeloma cell line, U266. On the contrary, overexpression of SOX4 in the CD56(-) myeloma cell line could induce the CD56 expression. Silencing of SOX4 by shRNA transfection down-regulated CD56 expression and induced apoptosis to CD56(+) human myeloma cell line, AMO1. Thus, induction of SOX4 gene expression might be responsible for the CD56 expression in human myeloma cells.