PIM-2 TRANSGENE INDUCES LYMPHOID TUMORS, EXHIBITING POTENT SYNERGY WITH C-MYC

Evidence from proviral tagging experiments has suggested that pim-2 is similar in oncogenic behavior to its well characterized relative pim- 1. While expression in tissues differs, both genes expressed in mitoge nically stimulated hematopoietic cells and their transcription is indu ced in response to the same cytokines, Expression of a pim-2 transgene in lymphoid cells predisposed mice to T-cell lymphomas like those pro moted by pim-1 transgenes, Moreover, strong collaboration with an E mu -myc transgene was manifested as pre-B cell leukemia in neonate bi-tra nsgenic animals, Remarkably, this collaboration was attenuated but not prevented by X-inactivation of one of the transgenes. The addition of pim-2 to the fold increases the prominence of the pim proto-oncogene family in tumorigenesis.