 ETV6-RUNX1 gene fusion is usually an early, prenatal event in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).     ///    "Here, we show that ETV6-RUNX1 directly binds the EPOR promoter and that expression of ETV6-RUNX1 alone in normal pre-B cells is sufficient to activate EPOR transcription. "    ///    "EPOR mRNA is selectively and ectopically expressed in ETV6-RUNX1(+) ALL, but the presence of a functional EPOR on the cell surface and its role in leukemogenesis driven by ETV6-RUNX1 remains to be identified. "    ///    These data support the contention that ETV6-RUNX1 directly activates ectopic expression of a functional EPOR and provides cell survival signals that may contribute critically to persistence of covert premalignant clones in children..     ///    ETV6-RUNX1 promotes survival of early B lineage progenitor cells via a dysregulated erythropoietin receptor.. 