Activation of RHOA-VAV1 signaling in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma

Leukemia. 2018 Mar;32(3):694-702. doi: 10.1038/leu.2017.273. Epub 2017 Aug 23.

Abstract

Somatic G17V RHOA mutations were found in 50-70% of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). The mutant RHOA lacks GTP binding capacity, suggesting defects in the classical RHOA signaling. Here, we discovered the novel function of the G17V RHOA: VAV1 was identified as a G17V RHOA-specific binding partner via high-throughput screening. We found that binding of G17V RHOA to VAV1 augmented its adaptor function through phosphorylation of 174Tyr, resulting in acceleration of T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Enrichment of cytokine and chemokine-related pathways was also evident by the expression of G17V RHOA. We further identified VAV1 mutations and a new translocation, VAV1-STAP2, in seven of the 85 RHOA mutation-negative samples (8.2%), whereas none of the 41 RHOA mutation-positive samples exhibited VAV1 mutations. Augmentation of 174Tyr phosphorylation was also demonstrated in VAV1-STAP2. Dasatinib, a multikinase inhibitor, efficiently blocked the accelerated VAV1 phosphorylation and the associating TCR signaling by both G17V RHOA and VAV1-STAP2 expression. Phospho-VAV1 staining was demonstrated in the clinical specimens harboring G17V RHOA and VAV1 mutations at a higher frequency than those without. Our findings indicate that the G17V RHOA-VAV1 axis may provide a new therapeutic target in AITL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Humans
  • Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / genetics
  • Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy / metabolism*
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / genetics
  • Lymphoma, T-Cell / metabolism*
  • Mutation
  • NFATC Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / genetics
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cytokines
  • NFATC Transcription Factors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-vav
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • VAV1 protein, human
  • rhoA GTP-Binding Protein