Hepatic leukemia factor (HLF) belongs to the PAR (Proline and Acidic amino acid-Rich basic leucine ZIPper) transcription factor family, which consists of HLF, DBP and TEF proteins []. HLF binds DNA specifically as a homodimer or as a heterodimer with other PAR factors. It binds to the consensus sequence 5'-GTTACGTAAT-3' []. In B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), it fuses to the N terminus of the E2A protein [], and this chimeric protein promotes cell survival of t(17;19)-ALL cells by aberrantly up-regulating the expression of hematopoiesis transcription regulator LMO2 []. HLF regulates a complex multi-gene transcriptional program that involves upregulation of anti-apoptotic genes and downregulation of pro-apoptotic genes [].
