NUP98-HOX translocations lead to myelodysplastic syndrome in mice and men.
The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias, dysplasia, and a propensity for transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). A wide spectrum of genetic aberrations has been associated with MDS, including chromosomal translocations involving the NUP98 gene, most commonly leading to fusions of NUP98 with abd-b group HOX genes, including HOXD13. We used vav regulatory elements to direct expression of a NUP98-HOXD13 (NHD13) fusion gene in hematopoietic tissues. NHD13 transgenic mice faithfully recapitulate all the key features of MDS, including peripheral blood cytopenias, bone marrow dysplasia and apoptosis, and transformation to acute leukemia. The MDS that develops in NHD13 transgenic mice is highly lethal; within 14 months, 90% of the mice died of either leukemic transformation or severe anemia and leukopenia due to progressive MDS. These mice provide a preclinical model that can be used for the evaluation of MDS therapy and biology.
Slape
Christopher
C
Genetics Branch, Center for CAncer Research, NCI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20889-5105, USA.
Lin
Ying Wei
YW
Hartung
Helge
H
Zhang
Zhenhua
Z
Wolff
Linda
L
Aplan
Peter D
PD
D000818:Animals; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000235:genetics*; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C084118:Hoxd13 protein, mouse; C521093:NUP98-HOXD13 protein, human; D028861:Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D014157:Transcription Factors; C093350:nuclear pore complex protein 98