Dysregulation of Frizzled 6 is a critical component of B-cell leukemogenesis in a mouse model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Blood. 2009 Mar 26;113(13):3031-9. doi: 10.1182/blood-2008-06-163303. Epub 2009 Jan 28.

Abstract

Wnt/Fzd signaling is known to play a key role in development, tissue-specific stem-cell maintenance, and tumorigenesis, particularly through the canonical pathway involving stabilization of beta-catenin. We have previously shown that Fzd9(-/-) mice have a deficiency in pre-B cells at a stage when self-renewing division is occurring in preference to further differentiation, before light chain immunoglobulin recombination. To determine whether pathologic usurpation of this pathway plays a role in B-cell leukemogenesis, we examined the expression of Wnt/Fzd pathway genes in the Emu-TCL1 mouse model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We find that, in the course of leukemogenesis, the expression of Wnt16, Wnt10alpha, Fzd1, and most dramatically, Fzd6, is progressively up-regulated in the transformed CD5(+) B cells of these mice, as are beta-catenin protein levels. Elimination of Fzd6 expression by crossing into Fzd6(-/-) mice significantly delays development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in this model. Our findings suggest that the self-renewal signals mediated by Wnt/Fzd that are enlisted during B-cell development may be pathologically reactivated in the neoplastic transformation of mature B cells.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Frizzled Receptors / genetics
  • Frizzled Receptors / metabolism
  • Frizzled Receptors / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic / physiology
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Frizzled Receptors
  • Fzd6 protein, mouse
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • Tcl1 protein, mouse
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin