Genomic variability and alternative splicing generate multiple PML/RAR alpha transcripts that encode aberrant PML proteins and PML/RAR alpha isoforms in acute promyelocytic leukaemia

• Published in: The EMBO journal Vol. 11; no. 4; pp. 1397 - 1407
• Main Authors: Pandolfi, P.P., Alcalay, M., Fagioli, M., Zangrilli, D., Mencarelli, A., Diverio, D., Biondi, A., Lo Coco, F., Rambaldi, A., Grignani, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group 01.04.1992
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Southern; Bone Marrow - pathology; Carrier Proteins - analysis; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Chimera; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; DNA, Neoplasm - genetics; DNA, Neoplasm - isolation & purification; genes; Genetic Variation; Genomic Library; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Introns; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - genetics; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - pathology; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Medical sciences; Molecular Sequence Data; Multigene Family; Neoplasm Proteins; Nuclear Proteins; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; Oncogene Proteins - genetics; Oncogenes; Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein; Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; Proto-Oncogene Proteins; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; Receptors, Retinoic Acid; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - analysis; Restriction Mapping; RNA Splicing; RNA, Messenger - genetics; splicing; Transcription Factors - analysis; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transfection; Translocation, Genetic; Tretinoin - metabolism; Tumor Suppressor Proteins; Chromosomal aberration; Human; Promyelocytic leukemia; Alternative splicing; Malignant hemopathy; Malignant tumor; In vitro; Chromosome break; Messenger RNA; Gene; Abnormal chromosome; Retinoic acid; Tumor cell; Biological receptor; Chromosome translocation
• ISSN: 0261-4189; 1460-2075
• DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1992.tb05185.x

The acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) 15;17 translocation generates a PML/RAR alpha chimeric gene which is transcribed as a fusion PML/RAR alpha mRNA. Molecular studies on a large series of APLs revealed great heterogeneity of the PML/RAR alpha transcripts due to: (i) variable breaking of chromosome 15 within three PML breakpoint cluster regions (bcr1, bcr2 and bcr3), (ii) alternative splicings of the PML portion and (iii) alternative usage of two RAR alpha polyadenylation sites. Nucleotide sequence analysis predicted two types of proteins: multiple PML/RAR alpha and aberrant PML. The PML/RAR alpha proteins varied among bcr1, 2 and 3 APL cases and within single cases. The fusion proteins contained variable portions of the PML N terminus joined to the B‐F RAR alpha domains; the only PML region retained was the putative DNA binding domain. The aberrant PML proteins lacked the C terminus, which had been replaced by from two to ten amino acid residues from the RAR alpha sequence. Multiple PML/RAR alpha isoforms and aberrant PML proteins were found to coexist in all APLs. These findings indicate that two potential oncogenic proteins are generated by the t(15;17) and suggest that the PML activation pathway is altered in APLs.