A Druggable Rheostat for Ewing Sarcoma?

The posterior HOXD enhancer is an EWSR1::FLI1-dependent regulator of HOXD13 expression in Ewing sarcoma. HOXD13 expression promotes a mesenchymal cell state. Through antagonistic transcriptional programs, EWSR1::FLI1 and HOXD13 serve as master regulators of Ewing cell plasticity. Targeting Ewing cells as they exist in/transition between mesenchymal states is a priority. See related article by Apfelbaum et al., p. 4466.