Open AccessTAL1 cooperates with PI3K/AKT pathway activation in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Author(s) -
Naomi Thielemans,
Sofie Demeyer,
Nele Mentens,
Olga Gielen,
Sarah Provost,
Jan Cools
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
haematologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1592-8721
pISSN - 0390-6078
DOI - 10.3324/haematol.2021.279718
Subject(s) - pi3k/akt/mtor pathway , protein kinase b , biology , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , jurkat cells , cell growth , leukemia , signal transduction , t cell , immunology , genetics , immune system
TAL1 is ectopically expressed in about 30% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) due to chromosomal rearrangements leading to the STIL-TAL1 fusion genes or due to noncoding mutations leading to a de novo enhancer driving TAL1 expression. Analysis of sequence data from T-ALL cases demonstrates a significant association between TAL1 expression and activating mutations of the PI3K-AKT pathway. We investigated the oncogenic function of TAL1 and the possible cooperation with PI3K-AKT pathway activation using isogenic pro-T cell cultures ex vivo and in vivo leukemia models. We find that TAL1 on its own is suppressing T-cell growth, in part by affecting apoptosis genes, while the combination with AKT pathway activation reduced apoptosis and was strongly driving cell proliferation ex vivo and leukemia development in vivo. As a consequence, we find that TAL1+AKTE17K transformed cells are more sensitive to PI3K-AKT pathway inhibition compared to AKTE17K transformed cells, related to the negative effect of TAL1 in the absence of activated PI3K-AKT signaling. We also find that both TAL1 and PI3K-AKT signaling increase the DNA-repair signature in T cells resulting in synergy between PARP and PI3KAKT pathway inhibition. In conclusion, we have developed a novel mouse model for TAL1+AKTE17K driven T-ALL development and identify a vulnerability of these leukemia cells to PI3K-AKT and PARP inhibitors.