Instructive role of MLL-fusion proteins revealed by a model of t(4;11) pro-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia

  • Shan Lin
  • , Roger T. Luo
  • , Anetta Ptasinska
  • , Jon Kerry
  • , Salam Assi
  • , Mark Wunderlich
  • , Toshihiko Lmamura
  • , Joseph J. Kaberlein
  • , Ahmad Rayes
  • , Mark J. Althoff
  • , John Anastasi
  • , Maureen M. O’Brien
  • , Amom Ruhikanta Meetei
  • , Thomas A. Milne
  • , Constanze Bonifer
  • , James Mulloy
  • , Michael J. Thirman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)
311 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The t(4;11)(q21;q23) fuses MLL to AF4, the most common MLL-fusion partner. Here we show hat MLL fused to murine Af4, highly conserved with human AF4, produces high-titer retrovirus permitting efficient transduction of human CD34+ cells and generating a faithful model of t(4;11) proB ALL that fully recapitulates the immunophenotypic and molecular aspects of the disease. MLL-Af4 induces a B-ALL distinct from MLL-AF9 through differential genomic target binding of the fusion proteins leading to specific gene expression patterns. MLL-Af4 cells can assume a myeloid state under environmental pressure but retain lymphoid-lineage potential. Such incongruity was also observed in t(4;11) patients who evaded CD19-directed therapy by undergoing myeloid-lineage switch. Our model provides a valuable tool to unravel the pathogenesis of MLL-AF4 leukemogenesis.   
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)737–749
Number of pages13
JournalCancer Cell
Volume30
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Nov 2016

Keywords

  • MLL-AF4
  • acute lymphoblastic leukemi
  • chimeric fusion proteins
  • mouse models of cancer
  • acquired resistance to targeted therapy
  • species specificity of oncogenes

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