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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Christine Harrison FRCPath FMedSci
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Children with Down syndrome (DS) have a greatly increased risk of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMKL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Both DS-AMKL and the related transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) have GATA1 mutations as obligatory, early events. To identify mutations contributing to leukemogenesis in DS-ALL, we undertook sequencing of candidate genes, including FLT3, RAS, PTPN11, BRAF, and JAK2. Sequencing of the JAK2 pseudokinase domain identified a specific, acquired mutation, JAK2R683, in 12 (28%) of 42 DS-ALL cases. Functional studies of the common JAK2R683G mutation in murine Ba/F3 cells showed growth factor independence and constitutive activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. High-resolution SNP array analysis of 9 DS-ALL cases identified additional submicroscopic deletions in key genes, including ETV6, CDKN2A, and PAX5. These results infer a complex molecular pathogenesis for DS-ALL leukemogenesis, with trisomy 21 as an initiating or first hit and with chromosome aneuploidy, gene deletions, and activating JAK2 mutations as complementary genetic events.
Author(s): Kearney L, De Castro DG, Yeung J, Procter J, Horsley SW, Eguchi-Ishimae M, Bateman CM, Anderson K, Chaplin T, Young BD, Harrison CJ, Kempski H, Wai ESoC, Ford AM, Greaves M
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Blood
Year: 2009
Volume: 113
Issue: 3
Pages: 646-648
ISSN (print): 0006-4971
ISSN (electronic): 1528-0020
Publisher: American Society of Hematology
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2008-08-170928
DOI: 10.1182/blood-2008-08-170928
Notes: Cancer Research UK/United Kingdom Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't United States
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