Malignant transformation of Slp65-deficient pre-B cells involves disruption of the Arf-Mdm2-p53 tumor suppressor pathway

V. B.T. Ta, Marjolein J.W. De Bruijn, Petra J. Ter Brugge, Jan Piet Van Hamburg, Hans J.A. Diepstraten, Pieter Fokko Van Loo, Rogier Kersseboom, Rudi W. Hendriks

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Abstract

The adapter protein Slp65 is a key component of the precursor-B (pre-B) cell receptor. Slp65-deficient mice spontaneously develop pre-B cell leukemia, but the mechanism by which Slp65-/- pre-B cells become malignant is unknown. Loss of Btk, a Tec-family kinase that cooperates with Slp65 as a tumor suppressor, synergizes with deregulation of the c-Myc oncogene during lymphoma formation. Here, we report that the presence of the immunoglobulin heavy chain transgene VH81X prevented tumor development in Btk -/-Slp65-/- mice. This finding paralleled the reported effect of a human immunoglobulin heavy chain transgene on lymphoma development in Eμ-myc mice, expressing transgenic c-Myc. Because activation of c-Myc strongly selects for spontaneous inactivation of the p19Arf-Mdm2-p53 tumor suppressor pathway, we investigated whether disruption of this pathway is a common alteration in Slp65-/- pre-B cell tumors. We found that combined loss of Slp65 and p53 in mice transformed pre-B cells very efficiently. Aberrations in p19Arf, Mdm2, or p53 expression were found in all Slp65-/-(n = 17)andBtk-/-Slp65-/-(n = 32) pre-B cell leukemias analyzed. In addition, 9 of 10 p53-/-Slp65 -/- pre-B cell leukemias manifested significant Mdm2 protein expression. These data indicate that malignant transformation of Slp65 -/- pre-B cells involves disruption of the p19Arf-Mdm2-p53 tumor suppressor pathway.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1385-1393
Number of pages9
JournalBlood
Volume115
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Feb 2010

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