A high incidence of somatically acquired point mutations in the AML1/RUNX1 gene has been reported in poorly differentiated acute myeloid leukemia (AML, M0) and in radiation-associated and therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or AML. The vast majority of AML1 mutations identified in these diseases were localized in the amino (N)-terminal region, especially in the DNA-binding Runt homology domain. In this report, we show that AML1 point mutations were found in 26 (23.6%) of 110 patients with refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB), RAEB in transformation (RAEBt), and AML following MDS (defined these 3 disease categories as MDS/AML). Among them, 9 (8.2%) mutations occurred in the carboxy (C)-terminal region, which were exclusively found in MDS/AML and were strongly correlated with sporadic MDS/AML. All patients with MDS/AML with an AML1 mutation expressed wild-type AML1 protein and had a significantly worse prognosis than those without AML1 mutations. Most AML1 mutants lost trans-activation potential, regardless of their DNA binding potential. These data suggested that AML1 point mutation is one of the major driving forces of MDS/AML, and these mutations may represent a distinct clinicopatho-
Recurrent mutations in the gene encoding additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1) are found in various hematologic malignancies and associated with poor prognosis. In particular, ASXL1 mutations are common in patients with hematologic malignancies associated with myelodysplasia, including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Although loss-of-function ASXL1 mutations promote myeloid transformation, a large subset of ASXL1 mutations is thought to result in stable truncation of ASXL1. Here we demonstrate that C-terminal-truncating Asxl1 mutations (ASXL1-MTs) inhibited myeloid differentiation and induced MDS-like disease in mice. ASXL1-MT mice displayed features of human-associated MDS, including multilineage myelodysplasia, pancytopenia, and occasional progression to overt leukemia. ASXL1-MT resulted in derepression of homeobox A9 (Hoxa9) and microRNA-125a (miR-125a) expression through inhibition of polycomb repressive complex 2-mediated (PRC2-mediated) methylation of histone H3K27. miR-125a reduced expression of C-type lectin domain family 5, member a (Clec5a), which is involved in myeloid differentiation. In addition, HOXA9 expression was high in MDS patients with ASXL1-MT, while CLEC5A expression was generally low. Thus, ASXL1-MT-induced MDS-like disease in mice is associated with derepression of Hoxa9 and miR-125a and with Clec5a dysregulation. Our data provide evidence for an axis of MDS pathogenesis that implicates both ASXL1 mutations and miR-125a as therapeutic targets in MDS.
Somatically acquired point mutations of AML1/RUNX1 gene have been recently identified in rare cases of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Moreover, germ line mutations of AML1 were found in an autosomal dominant disease, familial platelet disorder with predisposition to AML (FPD/ AML), suggesting that AML1 mutants, as well as AML1 chimeras, contribute to the transformation of hematopoietic progenitors. In this report, we showed that AML1 point mutations were found in 6 (46%) of 13 MDS patients among atomic bomb (A-bomb) survivors in Hiroshima. Unlike acute or chronic leukemia patients among A-bomb survivors, MDS patients exposed relatively low-dose radiation and developed the disease after a long latency period. AML1 mutations also were found in 5 (38%) of 13 therapy-related AML/MDS patients who were treated with alkylating agents with or without local radiation therapy. In contrast, frequency of AML1 mutation in sporadic MDS patients was 2.7% (2 of 74). Among AML1 mutations identified in this study, truncated-type mutants lost DNA binding potential and trans-activation activity. All missense mutations with one exception (Gly42Arg) lacked DNA binding ability and downregulated the trans-activation potential of wild-type AML1 in a dominant-negative fashion. The Gly42Arg mutation that was shared by 2 patients bound DNA even more avidly than wild-type AML1 and enhanced the trans-activation potential of normal AML1. These results suggest that AML1 point mutations are related to low-dose radiation or alkylating agents and play a role distinct from that of leukemogenic chimeras as a result of chromosomal translocations caused by sublethal radiation or topoisomerase II inhibitors. (Blood. 2003;101:673-680)
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