PHF6 and JAK3 mutations cooperate to drive T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia progression

Shengnan Yuan,Juan Gao,Weiping Yuan,Tao Cheng,Fei Zhao,Yajing Chu,Yuxia Wang,Shuaibing Hou,Jun Shi,Xiaomin Wang,Shuang Yang,Tengxiao Guo,Yanjie Lan

doi:10.1038/s41375-021-01392-1

Abstract

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a malignant hematologic disease caused by gene mutations in T-cell progenitors. As an important epigenetic regulator, PHF6 mutations frequently coexist with JAK3 mutations in T-ALL patients. However, the role(s) of PHF6 mutations in JAK3-driven leukemia remain unclear. Here, the cooperation between JAK3 activation and PHF6 inactivation is examined in leukemia patients and in mice models. We found that the average survival time is shorter in patients with JAK/STAT and PHF6 comutation than that in other patients, suggesting a potential role of PHF6 in leukemia progression. We subsequently found that Phf6 deficiency promotes JAK3M511I-induced T-ALL progression in mice by inhibiting the Bai1-Mdm2-P53 signaling pathway, which is independent of the JAK3/STAT5 signaling pathway. Furthermore, combination therapy with a JAK3 inhibitor (tofacitinib) and a MDM2 inhibitor (idasanutlin) reduces the Phf6 KO and JAK3M511I leukemia burden in vivo. Taken together, our study suggests that combined treatment with JAK3 and MDM2 inhibitors may potentially increase the drug benefit for T-ALL patients with PHF6 and JAK3 comutation.

Highlights

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is one of the most common hematologic malignancies, resulted from gene mutations and genomic rearrangements in T-cell progenitors [1, 2]
We subsequently found that Phf6 deficiency promotes JAK3M511I-induced T-ALL progression in mice by inhibiting the Bai1-Mdm2-P53 signaling pathway, which is independent of the JAK3/STAT5 signaling pathway
PHF6 mutation frequently co-exists with JAK3 mutation in istence of different populations of atypical cells displaying both lymphoid and myeloid differentiation in VC Phf6 + JAK3M511I mice acute leukemia patients We analyzed the genetic data of 449 T-ALL cases from different when compared to the controls (Fig. 2K)

Summary

Introduction

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is one of the most common hematologic malignancies, resulted from gene mutations and genomic rearrangements in T-cell progenitors [1, 2]. RESULTS PHF6 mutation frequently co-exists with JAK3 mutation in istence of different populations of atypical cells displaying both lymphoid and myeloid differentiation in VC Phf6 + JAK3M511I mice acute leukemia patients We analyzed the genetic data of 449 T-ALL cases from different when compared to the controls (Fig. 2K).

Results

Conclusion