SUMMARY Somatic loss-of-function mutations in the ten-eleven-translocation-2 (TET2) gene occur in a significant proportion of patients with myeloid malignancies. Although there are extensive genetic data implicating TET2 mutations in myeloid transformation, the consequences of Tet2 loss in the hematopoietic compartment have not been delineated. We report here an animal model of conditional Tet2 loss in the hematopoietic compartment which leads to increased stem cell self-renewal in vivo as assessed by competitive transplant assays. Tet2 loss leads to a progressive enlargement of the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and eventual myeloproliferation in vivo including splenomegaly, monocytosis, and extramedullary hematopoiesis. In addition, Tet2+/− mice also displayed increased stem cell self-renewal and extramedulary hematopoiesis, suggesting Tet2 haploinsufficiency contributes to hematopoietic transformation in vivo.

Summary T cell engineering is a powerful means to rapidly generate anti-tumor T cells. The costimulatory properties of second-generation chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) determine the overall potency of adoptively transferred T cells. Utilizing an in vivo “stress test” to challenge CD19-targeted T cells, we studied the functionality and persistence imparted by 7 different CAR structures providing CD28 and/or 4-1BB costimulation. One configuration, which utilizes two signaling domains (CD28 and CD3ζ) and the 4-1BB ligand, provided the highest therapeutic efficacy, showing balanced tumoricidal function and increased T cell persistence accompanied by an elevated CD8/CD4 ratio and decreased exhaustion. Remarkably, induction of the IRF7/IFNβ pathway was required for optimal anti-tumor activity. Thus, 1928z-41BBL T cells possess strikingly potent intrinsic and immunomodulatory qualities.

Summary Recurrent somatic ASXL1 mutations occur in patients with myelodysplasia (MDS), myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and are associated with adverse outcome. Despite the genetic and clinical data implicating ASXL1 mutations in myeloid malignancies, the mechanisms of transformation by ASXL1 mutations are not understood. Here we identify that ASXL1 mutations result in loss of PRC2-mediated histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) tri-methylation. Through integration of microarray data with genome-wide histone modification ChIP-Seq data we identify targets of ASXL1 repression including the posterior HOXA cluster that is known to contribute to myeloid transformation. We demonstrate that ASXL1 associates with the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), and that loss of ASXL1 in vivo collaborates with NRASG12D to promote myeloid leukemogenesis.

Progress in adoptive T-cell therapy for cancer and infectious diseases1–2 is hampered by the lack of readily available, antigen-specific, human T lymphocytes. Pluripotent stem cells could provide an unlimited source of T lymphocytes, but the therapeutic potential of human pluripotent stem cell–derived lymphoid cells generated to date remains uncertain3–6. Here we combine induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)7 and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)8 technologies to generate human T cells targeted to CD19, an antigen expressed by malignant B cells, in tissue culture. These iPSC-derived, CAR-expressing T cells display a phenotype resembling that of innate γδ T cells. Similar to CAR-transduced, peripheral blood γδ T cells, the iPSC–derived T cells potently inhibit tumor growth in a xenograft model. This approach of generating therapeutic human T cells ‘in the dish’ may be useful for cancer immunotherapy and other medical applications.