UBTF tandem duplications in pediatric myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia: implications for clinical screening and diagnosis

Haematologica. 2024 Aug 1;109(8):2459-2468. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2023.284683.

Abstract

Recent genomic studies in adult and pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) demonstrated recurrent in-frame tandem duplications (TD) in exon 13 of upstream binding transcription factor (UBTF). These alterations, which account for approximately 4.3% of AML in childhood and about 3% in adult AML aged <60 years of age, are subtype-defining and associated with poor outcomes. Here, we provide a comprehensive investigation into the clinicopathological features of UBTF-TD myeloid neoplasms in childhood, including 89 unique pediatric AML and 6 myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cases harboring a tandem duplication in exon 13 of UBTF. We demonstrate that UBTF-TD myeloid tumors are associated with dysplastic features, low bone marrow blast infiltration, and low white blood cell count. Furthermore, using bulk and single-cell analyses, we confirm that UBTF-TD is an early and clonal event associated with a distinct transcriptional profile, whereas the acquisition of FLT3 or WT1 mutations is associated with more stem cell-like programs. Lastly, we report rare duplications within exon 9 of UBTF that phenocopy exon 13 duplications, expanding the spectrum of UBTF alterations in pediatric myeloid tumors. Collectively, we comprehensively characterize pediatric AML and MDS with UBTF-TD, and highlight key clinical and pathologic features that distinguish this new entity from other molecular subtypes of AML.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Exons / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Duplication*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* / diagnosis
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute* / pathology
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes* / diagnosis
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes* / genetics
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes* / pathology
  • Tandem Repeat Sequences / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Transcription Factors