SLC44A1 promotes AML progression and chemoresistance by regulating the Notch signaling pathway

Shuyun Cao, Chengyun Pan, Xiuying Hu, Tianzhen Hu, Yanju Li, Qin Fang,  Jishi Wang

Abstract:

Despite advances in treatment, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a formidable therapeutic challenge, highlighting the urgent need for novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The choline transporter SLC44A1 has been implicated in cancer progression; however, its role in AML remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the clinical relevance and molecular mechanisms of SLC44A1 in AML. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets revealed significant upregulation of SLC44A1 in AML patients, correlating with poor patient prognosis. Functional studies demonstrated that SLC44A1 knockdown markedly inhibited AML cell proliferation and enhanced chemosensitivity to cytarabine and venetoclax. RNA sequencing and pathway analysis identified the NOTCH signaling pathway as a key downstream target of SLC44A1, which was further validated by western blot. Collectively, our findings establish SLC44A1 as a crucial regulator of AML progression and chemoresistance, highlighting its dual potential as a prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target.