ESRRB regulates dexamethasone-induced gene expression and cell death in human ALL cell lines. (A,D) The human T-ALL cell line DND-41 and the human pre-B-ALL cell line NALM-6, transduced with lentiviruses expressing NS control or shRNAs targeting ESRRB or NR3C1, were cultured in increasing concentrations of dexamethasone for 72 hours, and viability was assayed by MTS. Absorbance values were normalized to vehicle control. (B,E) ESRRB knockdown in human T-ALL cells conferred resistance to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. Silenced cells were cultured with dexamethasone for 2 days, and apoptosis was assayed by annexin V-FITC/7-AAD staining followed by flow cytometry. (C,F) Optimal dexamethasone-induced NR3C1, BCL2L11, and TSC22D3 gene expression required NR3C1 and ESRRB. Control or knockdown cells were treated with dexamethasone for 24 hours, and NR3C1, BCL2L11, and TSC22D3 mRNA expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR. The copy number was normalized to β-actin by the ΔΔCT method. The results are averages of 3 independent experiments; error bars represent SEM. *P < .05; **P < .01; ***P < .001.