Determining the contribution of NPM1 heterozygosity to NPM-ALK-induced lymphomagenesis

Lab Invest. 2011 Sep;91(9):1298-303. doi: 10.1038/labinvest.2011.96. Epub 2011 Jun 27.

Abstract

Heterozygous expression of Nucleophosmin (NPM1) predisposes to hematological malignancies in the mouse and cooperates with Myc in lymphomagenesis. NPM1 is therefore regarded as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor. Heterozygous loss of NPM1 occurs as a result of the t(2;5), which generates the oncogenic fusion tyrosine kinase, NPM-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), a molecule underlying the pathogenesis of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Given the aforementioned role of NPM1 as a tumor suppressor, we hypothesized that NPM1 heterozygosity would cooperate with NPM-ALK in lymphomagenesis. In the event, we observed no difference in tumor latency, incidence or phenotype in NPM-ALK-transgenic mice heterozygous for NPM1 relative to transgenic mice expressing both NPM1 alleles. We propose that although the t(2;5) simultaneously reduces NPM1 allelic dosage and creates the NPM-ALK fusion protein, the two events do not cooperate in the pathogenesis of ALCL in our mouse model. These data indicate that a tumor-suppressive role for NPM1 may depend on cellular and/or genetic context.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Animals
  • Heterozygote*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nucleophosmin
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics*

Substances

  • NPM1 protein, human
  • Npm1 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nucleophosmin
  • ALK protein, human
  • Alk protein, mouse
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases