Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals Frequent Inactivating Mutations of Acetyltransferase Genes In B-Cell Lymphoma

Abstract 474

B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) comprises a variety of biologically and clinically distinct diseases whose pathogenesis is associated with largely unique genetic lesions affecting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. The identification of the complete set of genes and cellular pathways that are altered in the lymphoma cell is critical for a full understanding of the genesis and maintenance of these malignancies. Using genome-wide copy number analysis and high throughput whole exome sequencing, we have recently found that the two most common types of B-NHL, follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), are associated with frequent structural alterations inactivating the genes that encode CREBBP and, in a smaller fraction of cases, EP300, two highly related histone and non-histone acetyltranferases (HAT) that act as transcriptional coactivators in multiple signaling pathways. Overall, ~29% (n=39/134) of DLBCL and 32% (n=15/47) of FL samples display genomic deletions and/or somatic point mutations that remove or inactivate the HAT domain of CREBBP. In 19 additional cases (15 DLBCL and 4 FL), mutations and deletions were found in the EP300 gene, also predicting its functional loss. With few exceptions, structural alterations of CREBBP and EP300 were mutually exclusive, suggesting that inactivation of these loci is at least in part functionally equivalent. Thus, in total ~36% of all DLBCL (n=49/134) and at least 40% of FL cases (n=19/47) display genetic aberrations targeting acetyltransferase genes. Interestingly, while these lesions were observed in both DLBCL phenotypic subtypes, their frequency appears to be significantly higher in germinal center B cell type DLBCL, where they account for ~46% of the cases (n=30/65) as compared to 27% in activated B cell type DLBCL (n=11/69; p<0.01). CREBBP and EP300 structural alterations commonly affect a single allele, suggesting that reduction in HAT dosage is important for lymphomagenesis. While the functional consequences of these lesions are likely to be broad on gene transcription, we demonstrate specific defects in the acetylation-mediated inactivation of the BCL6 onco-protein and activation of the p53 tumor suppressor, both of which contribute to transformation. These results identify CREBBP/EP300 alterations as a major pathogenetic mechanism shared by common forms of B-NHL, and have direct implications for the development of therapeutic regimens targeted to acetylation/deacetylation mechanisms.