Knock-in of a FLT3/ITD mutation cooperates with a NUP98-HOXD13 fusion to generate acute myeloid leukemia in a mouse model

Blood. 2012 Mar 22;119(12):2883-94. doi: 10.1182/blood-2011-10-382283. Epub 2012 Feb 8.

Abstract

Constitutive activation of FLT3 by internal tandem duplication (ITD) is one of the most common molecular alterations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FLT3/ITD mutations have also been observed in myelodysplastic syndrome patients both before and during progression to AML. Previous work has shown that insertion of an FLT3/ITD mutation into the murine Flt3 gene induces a myeloproliferative neoplasm, but not progression to acute leukemia, suggesting that additional cooperating events are required. We therefore combined the FLT3/ITD mutation with a model of myelodysplastic syndrome involving transgenic expression of the Nup98-HoxD13 (NHD13) fusion gene. Mice expressing both the FLT3/ITD and NHD13 transgene developed AML with 100% penetrance and short latency. These leukemias were driven by mutant FLT3 expression and were susceptible to treatment with FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We also observed a spontaneous loss of the wild-type Flt3 allele in these AMLs, further modeling the loss of the heterozygosity phenomenon that is seen in human AML with FLT3-activating mutations. Because resistance to FLT3 inhibitors remains an important clinical issue, this model may help identify new molecular targets in collaborative signaling pathways.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation
  • Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins / genetics*
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / genetics*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3 / genetics*

Substances

  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • homeobox protein HOXA13
  • nuclear pore complex protein 98
  • Flt3 protein, mouse
  • fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3