# Non-canonical function of transcription cofactor MLL1 in cancer

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · 2024 · $509,877

## Abstract

Project Summary
Aberrations of chromatin modifying enzymes are frequently found in a wide spectrum of human
diseases. Among them, histone H3 K4 methyltransferase mixed lineage leukemia (MLL1, also
called KMT2A) has been extensively studied in cancer. MLL1 rearrangement is common in acute
pediatric leukemia, in which translocation of one MLL1 allele gives rise to an oncogenic fusion
protein. Other MLL1 mutations, including amplification and overexpression, are commonly found in
multiple cancers with unknown etiology. MLL1 resides in a multi-subunit complex with conserved
components shared among other KMT2 family enzymes, and together they regulate global histone
H3K4 methylation. While most studies focus on MLL1’s role in transcription via canonical H3K4
methylation, MLL1 also has non-canonical functions in regulating important cellular processes. We
will use multidisciplinary approaches to gain new mechanistic insights on how MLL1 affects cancer
development through transcription dependent and independent activities and evaluate its potential
as a therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10823951
- **Project number:** 1R01CA287625-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Yali Dou
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $509,877
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-02-01 → 2029-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10823951

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10823951, Non-canonical function of transcription cofactor MLL1 in cancer (1R01CA287625-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10823951. Licensed CC0.

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