NUP98 gene fusions in hematologic malignancies

Acute leukemia Is associated with a wide spectrum of recurrent, non-random chromosomal translocations. Molecular analysis of the genes involved In the se translocations has led to a better understanding of both the causes of c hromosomal rearrangements as well as the mechanisms of leukemic transformat ion. Recently, a number of laboratories have cloned translocations involvin g the NUP98 gene on chromosome 11p15.5, from patients with acute myelogenou s leukemia (AML), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), chronic myelogenous leuke mia (CIVIL), and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To date, at l east eight different chromosomal rearrangements involving NUP98 have been i dentified. The resultant chimeric transcripts encode fusion proteins that j uxtapose the N-terminal GLFG repeats of NUP98 to the C-terminus of the part ner gene. Of note, several of these translocations have been found In patie nts with therapy-related acute myelogenous leukemia (t-AML) or myelodysplas tic syndrome (t-MDS), suggesting that genotoxic chemotherapeutic agents may play an important role in generating chromosomal rearrangements involving NUP98.