1
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Camiolo G, Mullen CG, Ottersbach K. Mechanistic insights into the developmental origin of pediatric hematologic disorders. Exp Hematol 2024:104583. [PMID: 39059457 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2024.104583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Embryonic and fetal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells differ in some key properties from cells that are part of the adult hematopoietic system. These include higher proliferation and self-renewal capacity, different globin gene usage, and differing lineage biases. Although these evolved to cover specific requirements of embryonic development, they can have serious consequences for the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies that initiate prebirth in fetal blood cells and may result in a particularly aggressive disease that does not respond well to treatments that have been designed for adult leukemias. This indicates that these infant/pediatric leukemias should be considered developmental diseases, where a thorough understanding of their unique biology is essential for designing more effective therapies. In this review, we will highlight some of these unique fetal properties and detail the underlying molecular drivers of these phenotypes. We specifically focus on those that are pertinent to disease pathogenesis and that may therefore reveal disease vulnerabilities. We have also included an extensive description of the origins, phenotypes, and key molecular drivers of the main infant and pediatric leukemias that have a known prenatal origin. Importantly, successes in recent years in generating faithful models of these malignancies in which cellular origins, key drivers, and potential vulnerabilities can be investigated have resulted in uncovering potential, new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Camiolo
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher G Mullen
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Katrin Ottersbach
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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2
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Jassinskaja M, Ghosh S, Watral J, Davoudi M, Claesson Stern M, Daher U, Eldeeb M, Zhang Q, Bryder D, Hansson J. A complex interplay of intra- and extracellular factors regulates the outcome of fetal- and adult-derived MLL-rearranged leukemia. Leukemia 2024; 38:1115-1130. [PMID: 38555405 PMCID: PMC11073998 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02235-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Infant and adult MLL1/KMT2A-rearranged (MLLr) leukemia represents a disease with a dismal prognosis. Here, we present a functional and proteomic characterization of in utero-initiated and adult-onset MLLr leukemia. We reveal that fetal MLL::ENL-expressing lymphomyeloid multipotent progenitors (LMPPs) are intrinsically programmed towards a lymphoid fate but give rise to myeloid leukemia in vivo, highlighting a complex interplay of intra- and extracellular factors in determining disease subtype. We characterize early proteomic events of MLL::ENL-mediated transformation in fetal and adult blood progenitors and reveal that whereas adult pre-leukemic cells are mainly characterized by retained myeloid features and downregulation of ribosomal and metabolic proteins, expression of MLL::ENL in fetal LMPPs leads to enrichment of translation-associated and histone deacetylases signaling proteins, and decreased expression of inflammation and myeloid differentiation proteins. Integrating the proteome of pre-leukemic cells with their secretome and the proteomic composition of the extracellular environment of normal progenitors highlights differential regulation of Igf2 bioavailability, as well as of VLA-4 dimer and its ligandome, upon initiation of fetal- and adult-origin leukemia, with implications for human MLLr leukemia cells' ability to communicate with their environment through granule proteins. Our study has uncovered opportunities for targeting ontogeny-specific proteomic vulnerabilities in in utero-initiated and adult-onset MLLr leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jassinskaja
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, YO10 5DD, York, UK
| | - Sudip Ghosh
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Joanna Watral
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mina Davoudi
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Melina Claesson Stern
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ugarit Daher
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mohamed Eldeeb
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Qinyu Zhang
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - David Bryder
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jenny Hansson
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, SE-221 84, Lund, Sweden.
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3
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Waraky A, Östlund A, Nilsson T, Weichenhan D, Lutsik P, Bähr M, Hey J, Tunali G, Adamsson J, Jacobsson S, Morsy MHA, Li S, Fogelstrand L, Plass C, Palmqvist L. Aberrant MNX1 expression associated with t(7;12)(q36;p13) pediatric acute myeloid leukemia induces the disease through altering histone methylation. Haematologica 2024; 109:725-739. [PMID: 37317878 PMCID: PMC10905087 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2022.282255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Certain subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children have inferior outcome, such as AML with translocation t(7;12)(q36;p13) leading to an MNX1::ETV6 fusion along with high expression of MNX1. We have identified the transforming event in this AML and possible ways of treatment. Retroviral expression of MNX1 was able to induce AML in mice, with similar gene expression and pathway enrichment to t(7;12) AML patient data. Importantly, this leukemia was only induced in immune incompetent mice using fetal but not adult hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The restriction in transforming capacity to cells from fetal liver is in alignment with t(7;12)(q36;p13) AML being mostly seen in infants. Expression of MNX1 led to increased histone 3 lysine 4 mono-, di- and trimethylation, reduction in H3K27me3, accompanied with changes in genome-wide chromatin accessibility and genome expression, likely mediated through MNX1 interaction with the methionine cycle and methyltransferases. MNX1 expression increased DNA damage, depletion of the Lin-/Sca1+/c-Kit+ population and skewing toward the myeloid lineage. These effects, together with leukemia development, were prevented by pre-treatment with the S-adenosylmethionine analog Sinefungin. In conclusion, we have shown the importance of MNX1 in development of AML with t(7;12), supporting a rationale for targeting MNX1 and downstream pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Waraky
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, and; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
| | - Anders Östlund
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg
| | - Tina Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
| | - Dieter Weichenhan
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
| | - Pavlo Lutsik
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
| | - Marion Bähr
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
| | - Joschka Hey
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
| | - Gürcan Tunali
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg
| | - Jenni Adamsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg
| | - Susanna Jacobsson
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
| | | | - Susann Li
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
| | - Linda Fogelstrand
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, and; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
| | - Christoph Plass
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
| | - Lars Palmqvist
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, and; Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg.
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4
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Li Y, Mendoza-Castrejon J, Patel RM, Casey EB, Denby E, Bryder D, Magee JA. LIN28B promotes differentiation of fully transformed AML cells but is dispensable for fetal leukemia suppression. Leukemia 2024; 38:648-651. [PMID: 38321106 PMCID: PMC10912017 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-024-02167-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Jonny Mendoza-Castrejon
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Riddhi M Patel
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Emily B Casey
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Elisabeth Denby
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - David Bryder
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, 221 84, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey A Magee
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
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5
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Barone C, Orsenigo R, Cazzola A, D'Errico E, Patelli A, Quattrini G, Vergani B, Bombelli S, De Marco S, D'Orlando C, Bianchi C, Leone BE, Meneveri R, Biondi A, Cazzaniga G, Rabbitts TH, Brunelli S, Azzoni E. Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC)-Independent Progenitors Are Susceptible to Mll-Af9-Induced Leukemic Transformation. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3624. [PMID: 37509285 PMCID: PMC10377085 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Infant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease, genetically distinct from its adult counterpart. Chromosomal translocations involving the KMT2A gene (MLL) are especially common in affected infants of less than 1 year of age, and are associated with a dismal prognosis. While these rearrangements are likely to arise in utero, the cell of origin has not been conclusively identified. This knowledge could lead to a better understanding of the biology of the disease and support the identification of new therapeutic vulnerabilities. Over the last few years, important progress in understanding the dynamics of fetal hematopoiesis has been made. Several reports have highlighted how hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) provide little contribution to fetal hematopoiesis, which is instead largely sustained by HSC-independent progenitors. Here, we used conditional Cre-Lox transgenic mouse models to engineer the Mll-Af9 translocation in defined subsets of embryonic hematopoietic progenitors. We show that embryonic hematopoiesis is generally permissive for Mll-Af9-induced leukemic transformation. Surprisingly, the selective introduction of Mll-Af9 in HSC-independent progenitors generated a transplantable myeloid leukemia, whereas it did not when introduced in embryonic HSC-derived cells. Ex vivo engineering of the Mll-Af9 rearrangement in HSC-independent progenitors using a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach resulted in the activation of an aberrant myeloid-biased self-renewal program. Overall, our results demonstrate that HSC-independent hematopoietic progenitors represent a permissive environment for Mll-Af9-induced leukemic transformation, and can likely act as cells of origin of infant AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiana Barone
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Roberto Orsenigo
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Anna Cazzola
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Elisabetta D'Errico
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Arianna Patelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Giulia Quattrini
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Barbara Vergani
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Silvia Bombelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Sofia De Marco
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Cristina D'Orlando
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Cristina Bianchi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Biagio Eugenio Leone
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Raffaella Meneveri
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Andrea Biondi
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
- Pediatrics, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Giovanni Cazzaniga
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
- Centro Tettamanti, IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Terence Howard Rabbitts
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Institute of Cancer Research, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Silvia Brunelli
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Emanuele Azzoni
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
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6
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Mendoza-Castrejon J, Magee JA. Layered immunity and layered leukemogenicity: Developmentally restricted mechanisms of pediatric leukemia initiation. Immunol Rev 2023; 315:197-215. [PMID: 36588481 PMCID: PMC10301262 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and multipotent progenitor cells (MPPs) arise in successive waves during ontogeny, and their properties change significantly throughout life. Ontological changes in HSCs/MPPs underlie corresponding changes in mechanisms of pediatric leukemia initiation. As HSCs and MPPs progress from fetal to neonatal, juvenile and adult stages of life, they undergo transcriptional and epigenetic reprogramming that modifies immune output to meet age-specific pathogenic challenges. Some immune cells arise exclusively from fetal HSCs/MPPs. We propose that this layered immunity instructs cell fates that underlie a parallel layered leukemogenicity. Indeed, some pediatric leukemias, such as juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, myeloid leukemia of Down syndrome, and infant pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, are age-restricted. They only present during infancy or early childhood. These leukemias likely arise from fetal progenitors that lose competence for transformation as they age. Other childhood leukemias, such as non-infant pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia, have mutation profiles that are common in childhood but rare in morphologically similar adult leukemias. These differences could reflect temporal changes in mechanisms of mutagenesis or changes in how progenitors respond to a given mutation at different ages. Interactions between leukemogenic mutations and normal developmental switches offer potential targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonny Mendoza-Castrejon
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Jeffrey A. Magee
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110
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7
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Eldeeb M, Yuan O, Guzzi N, Thi Ngoc PC, Konturek-Ciesla A, Kristiansen TA, Muthukumar S, Magee J, Bellodi C, Yuan J, Bryder D. A fetal tumor suppressor axis abrogates MLL-fusion-driven acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112099. [PMID: 36763502 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
MLL-rearrangements (MLL-r) are recurrent genetic events in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and frequently associate with poor prognosis. In infants, MLL-r can be sufficient to drive transformation. However, despite the prenatal origin of MLL-r in these patients, congenital leukemia is very rare with transformation usually occurring postnatally. The influence of prenatal signals on leukemogenesis, such as those mediated by the fetal-specific protein LIN28B, remains controversial. Here, using a dual-transgenic mouse model that co-expresses MLL-ENL and LIN28B, we investigate the impact of LIN28B on AML. LIN28B impedes the progression of MLL-r AML through compromised leukemia-initiating cell activity and suppression of MYB signaling. Mechanistically, LIN28B directly binds to MYBBP1A mRNA, resulting in elevated protein levels of this MYB co-repressor. Functionally, overexpression of MYBBP1A phenocopies the tumor-suppressor effects of LIN28B, while its perturbation omits it. Thereby, we propose that developmentally restricted expression of LIN28B provides a layer of protection against MYB-dependent AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Eldeeb
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ouyang Yuan
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Nicola Guzzi
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Phuong Cao Thi Ngoc
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Konturek-Ciesla
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Trine A Kristiansen
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sowndarya Muthukumar
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey Magee
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Cristian Bellodi
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Joan Yuan
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - David Bryder
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden.
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8
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Yuan O, Ugale A, de Marchi T, Anthonydhason V, Konturek-Ciesla A, Wan H, Eldeeb M, Drabe C, Jassinskaja M, Hansson J, Hidalgo I, Velasco-Hernandez T, Cammenga J, Magee JA, Niméus E, Bryder D. A somatic mutation in moesin drives progression into acute myeloid leukemia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm9987. [PMID: 35442741 PMCID: PMC9020775 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) arises when leukemia-initiating cells, defined by a primary genetic lesion, acquire subsequent molecular changes whose cumulative effects bypass tumor suppression. The changes that underlie AML pathogenesis not only provide insights into the biology of transformation but also reveal novel therapeutic opportunities. However, backtracking these events in transformed human AML samples is challenging, if at all possible. Here, we approached this question using a murine in vivo model with an MLL-ENL fusion protein as a primary molecular event. Upon clonal transformation, we identified and extensively verified a recurrent codon-changing mutation (Arg295Cys) in the ERM protein moesin that markedly accelerated leukemogenesis. Human cancer-associated moesin mutations at the conserved arginine-295 residue similarly enhanced MLL-ENL-driven leukemogenesis. Mechanistically, the mutation interrupted the stability of moesin and conferred a neomorphic activity to the protein, which converged on enhanced extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity. Thereby, our studies demonstrate a critical role of ERM proteins in AML, with implications also for human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouyang Yuan
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Amol Ugale
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
- Department of Microbiology, Immunobiology and Genetics, Center for Molecular Biology of the University of Vienna, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tommaso de Marchi
- Division of Surgery, Oncology, and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vimala Anthonydhason
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 1F, 413 90, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Konturek-Ciesla
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Haixia Wan
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Mohamed Eldeeb
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Caroline Drabe
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Jassinskaja
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Jenny Hansson
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Isabel Hidalgo
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Jörg Cammenga
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jeffrey A. Magee
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Emma Niméus
- Division of Surgery, Oncology, and Pathology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Solvegatan 19, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Surgery, Skåne University Hospital, Entrégatan 7, 222 42 Lund, Sweden
| | - David Bryder
- Division of Molecular Hematology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund Stem Cell Center, Faculty of Medical, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
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9
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Chen C, Yu W, Alikarami F, Qiu Q, Chen CH, Flournoy J, Gao P, Uzun Y, Fang L, Davenport JW, Hu Y, Zhu Q, Wang K, Libbrecht C, Felmeister A, Rozich I, Ding YY, Hunger SP, Felix CA, Wu H, Brown PA, Guest EM, Barrett DM, Bernt KM, Tan K. Single-cell multiomics reveals increased plasticity, resistant populations, and stem-cell-like blasts in KMT2A-rearranged leukemia. Blood 2022; 139:2198-2211. [PMID: 34864916 PMCID: PMC8990373 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021013442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a devastating malignancy with a dismal outcome, and younger age at diagnosis is associated with increased risk of relapse. To discover age-specific differences and critical drivers that mediate poor outcome in KMT2A-r ALL, we subjected KMT2A-r leukemias and normal hematopoietic cells from patients of different ages to single-cell multiomics analyses. We uncovered the following critical new insights: leukemia cells from patients <6 months have significantly increased lineage plasticity. Steroid response pathways are downregulated in the most immature blasts from younger patients. We identify a hematopoietic stem and progenitor-like (HSPC-like) population in the blood of younger patients that contains leukemic blasts and form an immunosuppressive signaling circuit with cytotoxic lymphocytes. These observations offer a compelling explanation for the ability of leukemias in young patients to evade chemotherapy and immune-mediated control. Our analysis also revealed preexisting lymphomyeloid primed progenitors and myeloid blasts at initial diagnosis of B-ALL. Tracking of leukemic clones in 2 patients whose leukemia underwent a lineage switch documented the evolution of such clones into frank acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These findings provide critical insights into KMT2A-r ALL and have clinical implications for molecularly targeted and immunotherapy approaches. Beyond infant ALL, our study demonstrates the power of single-cell multiomics to detect tumor intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting rare but critical subpopulations within a malignant population that ultimately determines patient outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changya Chen
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Wenbao Yu
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | | | - Qi Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, and
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Chia-Hui Chen
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
| | - Jennifer Flournoy
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, and
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Peng Gao
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Yasin Uzun
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Li Fang
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Yuxuan Hu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
| | - Qin Zhu
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology
| | - Kai Wang
- Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and
| | - Clara Libbrecht
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
| | - Alex Felmeister
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Isaiah Rozich
- Graduate Group in Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Yang-Yang Ding
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Stephen P Hunger
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Carolyn A Felix
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, and
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Patrick A Brown
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD; and
| | - Erin M Guest
- Genomic Medicine Center, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO
| | - David M Barrett
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Kathrin M Bernt
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
| | - Kai Tan
- Division of Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research and
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine
- Penn Epigenetics Institute, and
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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10
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Jassinskaja M, Hansson J. The Opportunity of Proteomics to Advance the Understanding of Intra- and Extracellular Regulation of Malignant Hematopoiesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:824098. [PMID: 35350382 PMCID: PMC8957922 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.824098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal and adult hematopoiesis are regulated by largely distinct sets of cell-intrinsic gene regulatory networks as well as extracellular cues in their respective microenvironment. These ontogeny-specific programs drive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in fetus and adult to divergent susceptibility to initiation and progression of hematological malignancies, such as leukemia. Elucidating how leukemogenic hits disturb the intra- and extracellular programs in HSPCs along ontogeny will provide a better understanding of the causes for age-associated differences in malignant hematopoiesis and facilitate the improvement of strategies for prevention and treatment of pediatric and adult acute leukemia. Here, we review current knowledge of the intrinsic and extrinsic programs regulating normal and malignant hematopoiesis, with a particular focus on the differences between infant and adult acute leukemia. We discuss the recent advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics and its opportunity for resolving the interplay of cell-intrinsic and niche-associated factors in regulating malignant hematopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jassinskaja
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Division of Molecular Hematology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Jenny Hansson
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Division of Molecular Hematology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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11
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Li Y, Magee JA. Transcriptional reprogramming in neonatal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Exp Hematol 2021; 101-102:25-33. [PMID: 34303776 PMCID: PMC8557639 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and lineage-committed hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) undergo profound shifts in gene expression during the neonatal and juvenile stages of life. Temporal changes in HSC/HPC gene expression underlie concomitant changes in self-renewal capacity, lineage biases, and hematopoietic output. Moreover, they can modify disease phenotypes. For example, childhood leukemias have distinct driver mutation profiles relative to adult leukemias, and they may arise from distinct cells of origin. The putative relationship between neonatal HSC/HPC ontogeny and childhood blood disorders highlights the importance of understanding how, at a mechanistic level, HSCs transition from fetal to adult transcriptional states. In this perspective piece, we summarize recent work indicating that the transition is uncoordinated and imprecisely timed. We discuss implications of these findings, including mechanisms that might enable neonatal HSCs and HPCs to acquire adultlike properties over a drawn-out period, in lieu of precise gene regulatory networks. The transition from fetal to adult transcriptional programs coincides with a pulse of type I interferon signaling that activates many genes associated with the adultlike state. This pulse may sensitize HSCs/HPCs to mutations that drive leukemogenesis shortly after birth. If we can understand how developmental switches modulate HSC and HPC fate after birth-both under normal circumstances and in the setting of disease-causing mutations-we can potentially reprogram these switches to treat or prevent childhood leukemias.
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12
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Mack R, Zhang L, Breslin Sj P, Zhang J. The Fetal-to-Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transition and its Role in Childhood Hematopoietic Malignancies. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2021; 17:2059-2080. [PMID: 34424480 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10230-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
As with most organ systems that undergo continuous generation and maturation during the transition from fetal to adult life, the hematopoietic and immune systems also experience dynamic changes. Such changes lead to many unique features in blood cell function and immune responses in early childhood. The blood cells and immune cells in neonates are a mixture of fetal and adult origin due to the co-existence of both fetal and adult types of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and progenitor cells (HPCs). Fetal blood and immune cells gradually diminish during maturation of the infant and are almost completely replaced by adult types of cells by 3 to 4 weeks after birth in mice. Such features in early childhood are associated with unique features of hematopoietic and immune diseases, such as leukemia, at these developmental stages. Therefore, understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which hematopoietic and immune changes occur throughout ontogeny will provide useful information for the study and treatment of pediatric blood and immune diseases. In this review, we summarize the most recent studies on hematopoietic initiation during early embryonic development, the expansion of both fetal and adult types of HSCs and HPCs in the fetal liver and fetal bone marrow stages, and the shift from fetal to adult hematopoiesis/immunity during neonatal/infant development. We also discuss the contributions of fetal types of HSCs/HPCs to childhood leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Mack
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA
| | - Peter Breslin Sj
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.,Departments of Molecular/Cellular Physiology and Biology, Loyola University Medical Center and Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA
| | - Jiwang Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Oncology Institute, Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA.
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13
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Liao W, Kohler ME, Fry T, Ernst P. Does lineage plasticity enable escape from CAR-T cell therapy? Lessons from MLL-r leukemia. Exp Hematol 2021; 100:1-11. [PMID: 34298117 PMCID: PMC8611617 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The clinical success of engineered, CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in relapsed, refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) has generated great enthusiasm for the use of CAR T cells in patients with cytogenetics that portend a poor prognosis with conventional cytotoxic therapies. One such group includes infants and children with mixed lineage leukemia (MLL1, KMT2A) rearrangements (MLL-r), who fare much worse than patients with low- or standard-risk B-ALL. Although early clinical trials using CD19 CAR T cells for MLL-r B-ALL produced complete remission in most patients, relapse with CD19-negative disease was a common mechanism of treatment failure. Whereas CD19neg relapse has been observed across a broad spectrum of B-ALL patients treated with CD19-directed therapy, patients with MLL-r have manifested the emergence of AML, often clonally related to the B-ALL, suggesting that the inherent heterogeneity or lineage plasticity of MLL-r B-ALL may predispose patients to a myeloid relapse. Understanding the factors that enable and drive myeloid relapse may be important to devise strategies to improve durability of remissions. In this review, we summarize clinical observations to date with MLL-r B-ALL and generally discuss lineage plasticity as a mechanism of escape from immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Liao
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO
| | - M Eric Kohler
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO
| | - Terry Fry
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO; Immunology Department and HI3 Initiative, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO
| | - Patricia Ernst
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology/BMT, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO; Pharmacology Department, University of Colorado, Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. Aurora, CO.
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14
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Infant Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Unique Clinical and Biological Entity. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040777. [PMID: 33668444 PMCID: PMC7918235 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Infant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare subgroup of AML of children <2 years of age. It is as frequent as infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but not clearly distinguished by study groups. However, infant AML demonstrates peculiar clinical and biological characteristics, and its prognosis differs from AML in older children. Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) is very frequent in this age group and has raised growing interest. Thus, AMKL is a dominant topic in this review. Recent genomic sequencing has contributed to our understanding of infant AML. These data demonstrated striking features of infant AML: fusion genes are able to induce AML transformation without additional cooperation, and unlike AML in older age groups there is a paucity of associated mutations. Mice modeling of these fusions showed the essential role of ontogeny in the infant leukemia phenotype compared to older children and adults. Understanding leukemogenesis may help in developing new targeted treatments to improve outcomes that are often very poor in this age group. A specific diagnostic and therapeutic approach for this age group should be investigated.
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15
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Li Y, Kong W, Yang W, Patel RM, Casey EB, Okeyo-Owuor T, White JM, Porter SN, Morris SA, Magee JA. Single-Cell Analysis of Neonatal HSC Ontogeny Reveals Gradual and Uncoordinated Transcriptional Reprogramming that Begins before Birth. Cell Stem Cell 2020; 27:732-747.e7. [PMID: 32822583 PMCID: PMC7655695 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fetal and adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have distinct proliferation rates, lineage biases, gene expression profiles, and gene dependencies. Although these differences are widely recognized, it is not clear how the transition from fetal to adult identity is coordinated. Here we show that murine HSCs and committed hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) undergo a gradual, rather than precipitous, transition from fetal to adult transcriptional states. The transition begins prior to birth and is punctuated by a late prenatal spike in type I interferon signaling that promotes perinatal HPC expansion and sensitizes progenitors to the leukemogenic FLT3ITD mutation. Most other changes in gene expression and enhancer activation are imprecisely timed and poorly coordinated. Thus, heterochronic enhancer elements, and their associated transcripts, are activated independently of one another rather than as part of a robust network. This simplifies the regulatory programs that guide neonatal HSC/HPC ontogeny, but it creates heterogeneity within these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wenjun Kong
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Riddhi M Patel
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Emily B Casey
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Theresa Okeyo-Owuor
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - J Michael White
- Department of Pathology and Immunobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Shaina N Porter
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Samantha A Morris
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | - Jeffrey A Magee
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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16
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Antunes ETB, Ottersbach K. The MLL/SET family and haematopoiesis. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194579. [PMID: 32389825 PMCID: PMC7294230 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As demonstrated through early work in Drosophila, members of the MLL/SET family play essential roles during embryonic development through their participation in large protein complexes that are central to epigenetic regulation of gene expression. One of its members, MLL1, has additionally received a lot of attention as it is a potent oncogenic driver in different types of leukaemia when aberrantly fused to a large variety of partners as a result of chromosomal translocations. Its exclusive association with cancers of the haematopoietic system has prompted a large number of investigations into the role of MLL/SET proteins in haematopoiesis, a summary of which was attempted in this review. Interestingly, MLL-rearranged leukaemias are particularly prominent in infant and paediatric leukaemia, which commonly initiate in utero. This, together with the known function of MLL/SET proteins in embryonic development, has focussed research efforts in recent years on understanding the role of this protein family in developmental haematopoiesis and how this may be subverted by MLL oncofusions in infant leukaemia. A detailed understanding of these prenatal events is essential for the development of new treatments that improve the survival specifically of this very young patient group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric T B Antunes
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Katrin Ottersbach
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
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17
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Secker KA, Bruns L, Keppeler H, Jeong J, Hentrich T, Schulze-Hentrich JM, Mankel B, Fend F, Schneidawind D, Schneidawind C. Only Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells from Cord Blood Are Susceptible to Malignant Transformation by MLL-AF4 Translocations. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061487. [PMID: 32517300 PMCID: PMC7352867 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) (KMT2A) rearrangements (KMT2Ar) play a crucial role in leukemogenesis. Dependent on age, major differences exist regarding disease frequency, main fusion partners and prognosis. In infants, up to 80% of acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL) bear a MLL translocation and half of them are t(4;11), resulting in a poor prognosis. In contrast, in adults only 10% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bear t(9;11) with an intermediate prognosis. The reasons for these differences are poorly understood. Recently, we established an efficient CRISPR/Cas9-based KMT2Ar model in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) derived from human cord blood (huCB) and faithfully mimicked the underlying biology of the disease. Here, we applied this model to HSPCs from adult bone marrow (huBM) to investigate the impact of the cell of origin and fusion partner on disease development. Both genome-edited infant and adult KMT2Ar cells showed monoclonal outgrowth with an immature morphology, myelomonocytic phenotype and elevated KMT2Ar target gene expression comparable to patient cells. Strikingly, all KMT2Ar cells presented with indefinite growth potential except for MLL-AF4 huBM cells ceasing proliferation after 80 days. We uncovered FFAR2, an epigenetic tumor suppressor, as potentially responsible for the inability of MLL-AF4 to immortalize adult cells under myeloid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy-Ann Secker
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (K.-A.S.); (L.B.); (H.K.); (D.S.)
| | - Lukas Bruns
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (K.-A.S.); (L.B.); (H.K.); (D.S.)
| | - Hildegard Keppeler
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (K.-A.S.); (L.B.); (H.K.); (D.S.)
| | - Johan Jeong
- Synthego Corporation, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA;
| | - Thomas Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.H.); (J.M.S.-H.)
| | - Julia M. Schulze-Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (T.H.); (J.M.S.-H.)
| | - Barbara Mankel
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (B.M.); (F.F.)
| | - Falko Fend
- Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, University of Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (B.M.); (F.F.)
| | - Dominik Schneidawind
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (K.-A.S.); (L.B.); (H.K.); (D.S.)
| | - Corina Schneidawind
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (K.-A.S.); (L.B.); (H.K.); (D.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-7071-29-84319
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18
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Cruz Hernandez D, Vyas P. Oncogenic Drivers and Development. Cancer Discov 2020; 9:1653-1655. [PMID: 31792123 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-1082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Cancer Discovery, Lopez and colleagues show that the aggressive acute leukemic phenotype caused by the chimeric transcription factor CBFA2T3-GLIS2 varies depending on the developmental stage of the cell transformed (i.e., fetal vs. adult). This is likely a general principle in pediatric cancers and begins to explain why some cancer phenotypes are more common in infants and young children, whereas others are more frequent in older individuals.See related article by Lopez et al., p. 1736.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cruz Hernandez
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit and Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Paresh Vyas
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit and Oxford Centre for Haematology, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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19
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Development of embryonic and adult leukemia mouse models driven by MLL-ENL translocation. Exp Hematol 2020; 85:13-19. [PMID: 32437911 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Rearrangements involving the mixed lineage leukemia gene (MLL) are found in the majority of leukemias that develop within the first year of age, known as infant leukemias, and likely originate during prenatal life. MLL rearrangements are also present in about 10% of other pediatric and adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). These translocations and others occurring in early life are associated with a dismal prognosis compared with adult leukemias carrying the same translocations. This observation suggests that infant and adult leukemias are biologically distinct but the underlying molecular mechanisms for these differences are not understood. In this work, we induced the same MLL chromosomal translocation in the embryo at the time of fetal liver hematopoiesis and in the adult hematopoietic tissues to develop disease models in mice that recapitulate human infant and adult leukemias, respectively. We successfully obtained myeloid leukemia in adult mice after MLL-ENL recombination induction using the interferon inducible Mx1-Cre line. Using this same Cre line, we generated embryonic MLL-ENL leukemias, which were more aggressive than the corresponding adult leukemias. In conclusion, we have developed a novel MLL-ENL embryonic leukemia model in mice that can be used to study some aspects of infant leukemia ontogeny.
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