The B cell mutator AID promotes B lymphoid blast crisis and drug resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia

Cancer Cell. 2009 Sep 8;16(3):232-45. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2009.07.030.

Abstract

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is induced by BCR-ABL1 and can be effectively treated for many years with Imatinib until leukemia cells acquire drug resistance through BCR-ABL1 mutations and progress into fatal B lymphoid blast crisis (LBC). Despite its clinical significance, the mechanism of progression into LBC is unknown. Here, we show that LBC but not CML cells express the B cell-specific mutator enzyme AID. We demonstrate that AID expression in CML cells promotes overall genetic instability by hypermutation of tumor suppressor and DNA repair genes. Importantly, our data uncover a causative role of AID activity in the acquisition of BCR-ABL1 mutations leading to Imatinib resistance, thus providing a rationale for the rapid development of drug resistance and blast crisis progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • B-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Benzamides
  • Blast Crisis / drug therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytidine Deaminase / metabolism*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / pathology
  • Luciferases, Renilla / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation*
  • Piperazines / therapeutic use*
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Benzamides
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Luciferases, Renilla
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • AICDA (activation-induced cytidine deaminase)
  • Cytidine Deaminase

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE13611
  • GEO/GSE13612
  • GEO/GSE15093