Mature T-cell lymphomagenesis induced by retroviral insertional activation of Janus kinase 1

Mol Ther. 2013 Jun;21(6):1160-8. doi: 10.1038/mt.2013.67. Epub 2013 Apr 23.

Abstract

Retroviral vectors (RVs) are powerful tools in clinical gene therapy. However, stable genomic integration of RVs can be oncogenic, as reported in several animal models and in clinical trials. Previously, we observed that T-cell receptor (TCR) polyclonal mature T cells are resistant to transformation after gammaretroviral transfer of (proto-)oncogenes, whereas TCR-oligoclonal T cells were transformable in the same setting. Here, we describe the induction of a mature T-cell lymphoma (MTCL) in TCR-oligoclonal OT-I transgenic T cells, transduced with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-encoding gammaretroviral vector. The tumor cells were of a mature T-cell phenotype and serially transplantable. Integration site analysis revealed a proviral hit in Janus kinase 1 (Jak1), which resulted in Jak1 overexpression and Jak/STAT-pathway activation, particularly via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). Specific inhibition of Jak1 markedly delayed tumor growth. A systematic meta-analysis of available gene expression data on human mature T-cell lymphomas/leukemias confirmed the relevance of Jak/STAT overexpression in sporadic human T-cell tumorigenesis. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe RV-associated insertional mutagenesis in mature T cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Exons
  • Female
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Janus Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Janus Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / pathology
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional / methods*
  • Phosphorylation
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Retroviridae / genetics*
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism*
  • Trans-Activators / genetics
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism

Substances

  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • STAT3 protein, human
  • Stat3 protein, mouse
  • Trans-Activators
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • JAK1 protein, human
  • Jak1 protein, mouse
  • Janus Kinase 1