K-RasG12D-induced T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemias harbor Notch1 mutations and are sensitive to gamma-secretase inhibitors

Blood. 2008 Oct 15;112(8):3373-82. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-03-147587. Epub 2008 Jul 28.

Abstract

To study the impact of oncogenic K-Ras on T-cell leukemia/lymphoma development and progression, we made use of a conditional K-Ras(G12D) murine knockin model, in which oncogenic K-Ras is expressed from its endogenous promoter. Transplantation of whole bone marrow cells that express oncogenic K-Ras into wild-type recipient mice resulted in a highly penetrant, aggressive T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. The lymphoblasts were composed of a CD4/CD8 double-positive population that aberrantly expressed CD44. Thymi of primary donor mice showed reduced cellularity, and immunophenotypic analysis demonstrated a block in differentiation at the double-negative 1 stage. With progression of disease, approximately 50% of mice acquired Notch1 mutations within the PEST domain. Of note, primary lymphoblasts were hypersensitive to gamma-secretase inhibitor treatment, which is known to impair Notch signaling. This inhibition was Notch-specific as assessed by down-regulation of Notch1 target genes and intracellular cleaved Notch. We also observed that the oncogenic K-Ras-induced T-cell disease was responsive to rapamycin and inhibitors of the RAS/MAPK pathway. These data indicate that patients with T-cell leukemia with K-Ras mutations may benefit from therapies that target the NOTCH pathway alone or in combination with inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/MTOR and RAS/MAPK pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Animals
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Genes, ras*
  • Humans
  • Hyaluronan Receptors / biosynthesis
  • Leukemia, T-Cell / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation
  • Receptor, Notch1 / genetics*
  • ras Proteins / physiology*

Substances

  • Hyaluronan Receptors
  • NOTCH1 protein, human
  • Receptor, Notch1
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
  • ras Proteins