Although the M5 sub-type of AML encompasses a class of leukemia with different genetic abnormalities, including mutations associated with favorable prognosis (NPM1), and mutations or chromosomal aberrations associated with adverse prognosis (FLT3, DNMT3A, MLL fusions) [14], we find that HIF-1α exerts similar effects in cell lines representative of genetically different AML-M5, as it promotes migration and invasion both in MOLM-13 cells characterized by FLT3 mutation, and THP-1 cells, which harbor an MLL-AF9 translocation (www.dsmz.de). Here, NPM1 is linked to acute myeloid leukemia.