ELF1 (E74 like ETS transcription factor 1) is a sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factor that activates gene expression through RNA polymerase II-mediated mechanisms. As an ETS family member, ELF1 binds to purine-rich motifs in gene promoters and enhancers to regulate transcription of target genes including LYN and BLK 1. ELF1 plays critical roles in immune cell development and differentiation, contributing to T cell, B cell, and dendritic cell function 1. Beyond immunity, ELF1 functions as a core transcriptional regulatory circuit component in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), where it cooperates with other transcription factors to sustain leukemic cell proliferation 2. In intervertebral disc degeneration, ELF1 drives nucleus pulposus cell senescence by transactivating METTL3 and YTHDF2, triggering m6A-dependent degradation of E2F3 mRNA and G1/S cell cycle arrest 3. ELF1 also mediates neuropathic pain by inducing nerve injury-specific lncRNA, which promotes CCL2 expression in dorsal root ganglia 4. Clinically, ELF1 deletions occur in pediatric AML 5, and ELF1 participates in melanoma phenotype switching through intermediate cell state regulation 6. These findings establish ELF1 as a multifunctional transcription factor involved in immune regulation, cancer progression, and age-related degenerative diseases.