title: Epigenetic down-regulation of the tumor suppressor gene PRDM1/Blimp-1 in diffuse large B cell lymphomas: a potential role of the microRNA let-7.
abstract: PRDM1/Blimp-1, a master regulator for B cell terminal differentiation, is a putative tumor suppressor in diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL). Inactivating mutations of PRDM1 have been previously identified in a subset of nongerminal center B cell-like (GCB) DLBCL. We investigated the presence of alternative mechanisms of down-regulating PRDM1 in a cohort of 25 primary DLBCL and six DLBCL cell lines. While some DLBCL, predominantly the GCB-type, showed low levels of both PRDM1alpha mRNA and protein, presumably as a result of direct transcription repression, discordant expressions between the two were identified in a subset of DLBCL without PRDM1 mutations, the primarily non-GCB type, consistent with translational down-regulation. This subset of DLBCL exhibits relatively high PRDM1alpha mRNA levels but low levels of PRDM1. Data obtained from expression analysis, luciferase reporter assays, and transfection experiments support a role of targeting of PRDM1 by microRNA let-7 family in mediating this down-regulation. Let-7, in particular let-7b, is overexpressed in DLBCL relative to normal GCB cells, suggesting that it is deregulated. Thus, abnormal epigenetic down-regulation of PRDM1 by let-7 and other microRNAs may represent an alternative mechanism of reducing normal PRDM1 function in a subset of DLBCL with relatively high PRDM1alpha mRNA expression and unmutated PRDM1. These findings provide further evidence for an important role of impairment of terminal B cell differentiation in DLBCL pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Taotao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hatim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allawi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Yifang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chadburn
authors.forename: Y Lynn
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Knowles
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tam
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human; C087042:PRDM1 protein, human; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1