The regulatory interaction of EVI1 with the TCL1A oncogene impacts cell survival and clinical outcome in CLL

Leukemia. 2015 Oct;29(10):2003-14. doi: 10.1038/leu.2015.114. Epub 2015 May 4.

Abstract

Dysregulated T-cell leukemia/lymphoma-1A (TCL1A), a modulator in B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, is causally implicated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, the mechanisms of the perturbed TCL1A regulation are largely unknown. To characterize TCL1A-upstream networks, we functionally screened for TCL1A-repressive micro-RNAs (miRs) and their transcriptional regulators. We identified the novel miR-484 to target TCL1A's 3'-UTR and to be downregulated in CLL. In chromatin immunoprecipitations and reporter assays, the oncogenic transcription factor of myeloid cells, EVI1, bound and activated the miR-484 promoter. Most common in CLL was a pan-EVI1 transcript variant. EVI1 protein expression revealed distinct normal-tissue and leukemia-associated patterns of EVI1/TCL1A co-regulation. EVI1 levels were particularly low in TCL1A-high CLL or such cellular subsets. Global gene expression profiles from a 337-patient set linked EVI1 networks to BCR signaling and cell survival via TCL1A, BTK and other molecules of relevance in CLL. Enforced EVI1, as did miR-484, repressed TCL1A. Furthermore, it reduced phospho-kinase levels, impaired cell survival, mitigated BCR-induced Ca-flux and diminished the in vitro ibrutinib response. Moreover, TCL1A and EVI1 showed a strongly interactive hazard prediction in prospectively treated patients. Overall, we present regressive EVI1 as a novel regulatory signature in CLL. Through enhanced TCL1A and other EVI1-targeted hallmarks of CLL, this contributes to an aggressive cellular and clinical phenotype.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / genetics*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / mortality*
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / pathology
  • MDS1 and EVI1 Complex Locus Protein
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogenes / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Rate
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MDS1 and EVI1 Complex Locus Protein
  • MECOM protein, human
  • MIRN484 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TCL1A protein, human
  • Transcription Factors