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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 A. Assi
  • , Mark Wunderlich
  • , Toshihiko Imamura
  • , Joseph J. Kaberlein
  • , Ahmad Rayes
  • , Mark J. Althoff
  • , John Anastasi
  • , Maureen M. O'Brien
  • , Amom Ruhikanta Meetei
  • , Thomas A. Milne
  • , Constanze Bonifer
  • , James C. Mulloy
  • , Michael J. Thirman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The t(4;11)(q21;q23) fuses mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) to AF4, the most common MLL-fusion partner. Here we show that MLL fused to murine Af4, highly conserved with human AF4, produces high-titer retrovirus permitting efficient transduction of human CD34+ cells, thereby generating a model of t(4;11) pro-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (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 in whom leukemia 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 (US)
Pages (from-to)737-749
Number of pages13
JournalCancer Cell
Volume30
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 14 2016
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Inc.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

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

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