Sequentially inducible mouse models reveal that Npm1 mutation causes malignant transformation of Dnmt3a-mutant clonal hematopoiesis

Leukemia. 2019 Jul;33(7):1635-1649. doi: 10.1038/s41375-018-0368-6. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Abstract

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is a common aging-associated condition with increased risk of hematologic malignancy. Knowledge of the mechanisms driving evolution from CH to overt malignancy has been hampered by a lack of in vivo models that orthogonally activate mutant alleles. Here, we develop independently regulatable mutations in DNA methyltransferase 3A (Dnmt3a) and nucleophosmin 1 (Npm1), observed in human CH and AML, respectively. We find Dnmt3a mutation expands hematopoietic stem and multipotent progenitor cells (HSC/MPPs), modeling CH. Induction of mutant Npm1 after development of Dnmt3a-mutant CH causes progression to myeloproliferative disorder (MPD), and more aggressive MPD is observed with longer latency between mutations. MPDs uniformly progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) following transplant, accompanied by a decrease in HSC/MPPs and an increase in myeloid-restricted progenitors, the latter of which propagate AML in tertiary recipient mice. At a molecular level, progression of CH to MPD is accompanied by selection for mutations activating Ras/Raf/MAPK signaling. Progression to AML is characterized by additional oncogenic signaling mutations (Ptpn11, Pik3r1, Flt3) and/or mutations in epigenetic regulators (Hdac1, Idh1, Arid1a). Together, our study demonstrates that Npm1 mutation drives evolution of Dnmt3a-mutant CH to AML and rate of disease progression is accelerated with longer latency of CH.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology*
  • Clonal Evolution*
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / genetics*
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / physiology
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3A
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Hematopoiesis
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / etiology*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / metabolism
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation*
  • Myeloid Progenitor Cells / pathology
  • Myeloid Progenitor Cells / transplantation
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / genetics
  • Myeloproliferative Disorders / pathology*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology
  • Nucleophosmin

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • DNMT3A protein, human
  • Dnmt3a protein, mouse
  • NPM1 protein, human
  • Npm1 protein, mouse
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Nucleophosmin
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
  • DNA Methyltransferase 3A