Mutations of MAP2K1 are frequent in pediatric-type follicular lymphoma and result in ERK pathway activation

Blood. 2017 Jul 20;130(3):323-327. doi: 10.1182/blood-2017-03-776278. Epub 2017 May 22.

Abstract

Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma (PTFL) is a B-cell lymphoma with distinctive clinicopathological features. Recently, recurrent genetic alterations of potential importance for its pathogenesis that disrupt pathways associated with the germinal center reaction (TNFRSF14, IRF8), immune escape (TNFRSF14), and anti-apoptosis (MAP2K1) have been described. In an attempt to shed more light onto the pathogenesis of PTFL, an integrative analysis of these mutations was undertaken in a large cohort of 43 cases previously characterized by targeted next-generation sequencing and copy number array. Mutations in MAP2K1 were found in 49% (20/41) of the cases, second in frequency to TNFRSF14 alterations (22/41; 54%), and all together were present in 81% of the cases. Immunohistochemical analysis of the MAP2K1 downstream target extracellular signal-regulated kinase demonstrated its phosphorylation in the evaluable cases and revealed a good correlation with the allelic frequency of the MAP2K1 mutation. The IRF8 p.K66R mutation was present in 15% (6/39) of the cases and was concomitant with TNFRSF14 mutations in 4 cases. This hot spot seems to be highly characteristic for PTFL. In conclusion, TNFRSF14 and MAP2K1 mutations are the most frequent genetic alterations found in PTFL and occur independently in most cases, suggesting that both mutations might play an important role in PTFL lymphomagenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Carcinogenesis / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Child
  • DNA Copy Number Variations
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Gene Frequency
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / genetics*
  • Interferon Regulatory Factors / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / diagnosis
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / pathology
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / genetics*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Phosphorylation
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14 / genetics*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14 / metabolism

Substances

  • Interferon Regulatory Factors
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14
  • TNFRSF14 protein, human
  • interferon regulatory factor-8
  • MAPK1 protein, human
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP2K1 protein, human