Med12 gain-of-function mutation causes leiomyomas and genomic instability

J Clin Invest. 2015 Aug 3;125(8):3280-4. doi: 10.1172/JCI81534. Epub 2015 Jul 20.

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas are benign tumors that can cause pain, bleeding, and infertility in some women. Mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) exon 2 variants are associated with uterine leiomyomas; however, the causality of MED12 variants, their genetic mode of action, and their role in genomic instability have not been established. Here, we generated a mouse model that conditionally expresses a Med12 missense variant (c.131G>A) in the uterus and demonstrated that this alteration alone promotes uterine leiomyoma formation and hyperplasia in both WT mice and animals harboring a uterine mesenchymal cell-specific Med12 deletion. Compared with WT animals, expression of Med12 c.131G>A in conditional Med12-KO mice resulted in earlier onset of leiomyoma lesions that were also greater in size. Moreover, leiomyomatous, Med12 c.131G>A variant-expressing uteri developed chromosomal rearrangements. Together, our results show that the common human leiomyoma-associated MED12 variant can cause leiomyomas in mice via a gain of function that drives genomic instability, which is frequently observed in human leiomyomas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Chromosome Aberrations
  • Female
  • Genomic Instability*
  • Humans
  • Leiomyoma / genetics
  • Leiomyoma / metabolism*
  • Leiomyoma / pathology
  • Mediator Complex / genetics
  • Mediator Complex / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mutation, Missense*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology

Substances

  • MED12 protein, human
  • Med12 protein, mouse
  • Mediator Complex
  • Neoplasm Proteins