Reciprocal expression of the endocytic protein HIP1R and its repressor FOXP1 predicts outcome in R-CHOP-treated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients

Leukemia. 2014 Feb;28(2):362-72. doi: 10.1038/leu.2013.224. Epub 2013 Jul 25.

Abstract

We previously identified autoantibodies to the endocytic-associated protein Huntingtin-interacting protein 1-related (HIP1R) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. HIP1R regulates internalization of cell surface receptors via endocytosis, a process relevant to many therapeutic strategies including CD20 targeting with rituximab. In this study, we characterized HIP1R expression patterns, investigated a mechanism of transcriptional regulation and its clinical relevance in DLBCL patients treated with immunochemotherapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone, R-CHOP). HIP1R was preferentially expressed in germinal center B-cell-like DLBCL (P<0.0001) and inversely correlated with the activated B-cell-like DLBCL (ABC-DLBCL) associated transcription factor, Forkhead box P1 (FOXP1). HIP1R was confirmed as a direct FOXP1 target gene in ABC-DLBCL by FOXP1-targeted silencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Lower HIP1R protein expression (≤ 10% tumoral positivity) significantly correlated with inferior overall survival (OS, P=0.0003) and progression-free survival (PFS, P=0.0148) in R-CHOP-treated DLBCL patients (n=157). Reciprocal expression with ≥ 70% FOXP1 positivity defined FOXP1(hi)/HIP1R(lo) patients with particularly poor outcome (OS, P=0.0001; PFS, P=0.0016). In an independent R-CHOP-treated DLBCL (n=233) microarray data set, patients with transcript expression in lower quartile HIP1R and FOXP1(hi)/HIP1R(lo) subgroups exhibited worse OS, P=0.0044 and P=0.0004, respectively. HIP1R repression by FOXP1 is strongly associated with poor outcome, thus further understanding of FOXP1-HIP1R and/or endocytic signaling pathways might give rise to novel therapeutic options for DLBCL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Cyclophosphamide / therapeutic use
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / mortality*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / pathology
  • Male
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Prognosis
  • Protein Binding
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Rituximab
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / genetics*
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • FOXP1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • HIP1R protein, human
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • R-CHOP protocol
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Vesicular Transport Proteins
  • Rituximab
  • Vincristine
  • Doxorubicin
  • Cyclophosphamide
  • Prednisone