Role of nucleophosmin in acute myeloid leukemia.
Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a nucleolar phosphoprotein implicated in the regulation of multiple cellular functions, which possesses both oncogenic and tumor-suppressor properties. Mutations of the NPM1 gene leading to the expression of a cytoplasmic mutant protein, NPMc+, are the most frequent genetic abnormalities found in acute myeloid leukemias. Acute myeloid leukemias with mutated NPM1 have distinct characteristics, including a significant association with a normal karyotype, involvement of different hematopoietic lineages, a specific gene-expression profile and clinically, a better response to induction therapy and a favorable prognosis. NPMc+ maintains the capacity of wild-type NPM to interact with a variety of cellular proteins, and impairs their activity by delocalizing them to the cytoplasm. In this review we summarize recent discoveries concerning NPM function, and discuss their possible impact on the pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemias with mutated NPM1.
Meani
Natalia
N
Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, IFOM-IEO Campus, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy. natalia.meani@ifom-ieo-campus.it
Alcalay
Myriam
M
D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D011379:Prognosis; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
C000716967:NPM1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000090243:Nucleophosmin