The Pax5 Fusion Product Pax5-C20orf112 Causes Downregulation of Pre-B Cell Receptor Genes and Induces Differential Proliferation Patterns in B-Lymphoblastic Cell Lines.

Abstract 1284

Poster Board I-306

Recent SNP array analyses of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) have identified disruptions of the gene encoding the B-cell specific transcription factor Pax5 as one of the most common genomic lesions in this disease (> 30%); it being hemizygously deleted, mutated or involved in translocations. Pax5 translocates and forms fusion products with at least 12 different partners including C20orf112, leading to a chimeric Pax5/C20orf112 (Pax5/C20s) protein. Pax5 fusion products act as dominant negatives, competing for promoter binding sites with wild type (wt) Pax5 and thereby deregulating expression of target genes. In order to elucidate the molecular effects of fusion products involving the Pax5 gene, we performed a global gene expression analysis in the Nalm-6 B-ALL cell line. The cells were transfected with MSCV expression plasmids containing either empty vector, wild type Pax5 or a short fusion product of Pax5 and C20orf112 (Pax5/C20s), each containing IRES sequences for co-expression of GFP. Overexpression of Pax5 and Pax5/C20s was confirmed by western blot and quantitative RT PCR. RNA was extracted from cells sorted by FACS for GFP and processed for hybridization on Affymetrix HG-U133 plus 2 gene expression microarrays. Candidate genes were validated with RT real time PCR. Among the most differentially downregulated genes by the Pax5/C20s fusion product were candidate genes such as pleckstrin homology domain containing, family A member 2 (PLEKHA2) (12.64-fold), B-cell associated transcription factors POU class 2 associating factor 1 (POU2AF1) (4.4-fold) and transcription factor 3 (TCF3, E2A) (3.9-fold). Another intriguing observation was the downregulation of a group of genes associated with signaling through the pre-B cell receptor such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase adaptor protein 1 (BCAP) (3.35 fold), immunoglobulin heavy locus (IGH) (2.8 fold), pre-B lymphocyte genes -3 and -1 (VPREB3, VPREB1) (2.6-fold and 1.75-fold, respectively), spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) (1.6 fold) and B-cell linker (SLP65, BLNK) (1.5-fold) by the Pax5/C20s fusion product. For stable expression and growth curves, Nalm6, 697, Kasumi2, RCH-ACV, SEM, HPB-Null, BV173 and BEL1 B-lymphoblastic cell lines were infected with retroviruses expressing the above mentioned retroviral expression constructs. We noted that forced expression of the PAX5/C20s fusion product inhibited growth in cell lines, which had functional pre-B cell receptor signaling. In contrast, the fusion gene either did not affect or enhanced growth of B-ALL cell lines, in which expression of a functional pre-B cell receptor was missing. Of note, Pax5 wt caused growth inhibition in B-ALL cell lines lacking functional pre-B cell receptor signaling. In cells with functional pre-B cell signaling, the response to engagement of the receptor as measured by calcium flux assay was diminished by overexpression of the Pax5/C20s fusion product as compared to empty vector control or PAX5 wt. These results suggest that the mechanisms of leukemogenesis of Pax5/C20s in ALL cells may be dependent on the functionality of the pre-B cell receptor pathway. This could be of great therapeutic value as it would potentially allow ALL cells to be divided into two different subtypes depending on pre-B cell receptor functionality and possibly identify the pre-B cell receptor pathway as a new therapeutic target.