The Predominant Activation of Alternative Signaling Pathways Explains the Differential Propensity of Different c-Mpl Gain-of-Function Mutations to Promote Myeloproliferative Malignancies

Thrombopoiesis is tightly regulated by the binding of thrombopoietin (THPO) to its receptor c-Mpl that leads to the clearance of THPO from the plasma thus establishing a negative feedback loop. Several mutations in the c-Mpl receptor gene have been linked to a gain-of-function resulting in thrombocytosis. We focused on a comparison of gain-of-function mutation in the extracellular part of the c-Mpl receptor, where ligand binding and receptor dimerization occur, with the S505N, W515K and W515L mutations in the transmembrane and juxtamembrane region, respectively. Interestingly, the latter mutations are known to also promote myeloproliferative malignancies and AML, whereas the P106L mutation causes hereditary thrombocytosis without a known predisposition to hematologic malignancies.

We have now performed functional analyses of these gain-of-function mutations to address the question of how the different propensity to induce malignancy can be explained. We first analyzed the post-translational processing of the normal and the P106L mutated receptor in comparison to the receptors carrying the S505N, W515K and W515L mutations in transfected HeLa and BA/F3 cells. The normal and the S505N, W515K and W515L mutated c-Mpl receptors were properly glycosylated during their transport through the Golgi apparatus, whereas the P106L mutated receptor did not enter the Golgi and was not fully glycosylated. The plasma membrane expression, assayed by confocal microscopy and FACS, of the S515N, W515K and W515L mutated receptors was comparable to the normal receptor, whereas the P106L mutated receptor was not detectable on the cell surface. Functional analyses of the THPO/c-Mpl signaling pathways in THPO stimulated c-Mpl transfected BA/F3 cells showed activation of the ERK1/2 pathway in all mutants but only weaker activation of the PI3K/m-TOR and Stat3/5 signaling pathways for the P106L mutant. By contrast, cells transfected with the normal receptor gene and the S505N, W515K and W515L c-Mpl mutants showed predominant up-regulation of the PI3K/m-TOR and Stat3/5 pathways.

These results show that (1) the activation of c-Mpl by THPO does not absolutely require surface expression of the receptor (2) different c-Mpl gain-of-function mutations activate separable downstream pathways and (3) the predominant activation of the PI3K/m-TOR and Stat3/5 pathways correlates with the propensity to induce hematopoietic malignancy.

Further, it is interesting to note that the c-Mpl P106L gain-of-function mutant is known to cause 10 to 20-fold elevated thrombopoietin (THPO) plasma levels in patients and is shown here not to be properly glycosylated and transported to the cell surface. By contrast, patients with the other gain-of-function mutations analyzed here show normal or even reduced THPO plasma concentrations and normal post-translational processing and cell surface expression.

In conclusion, we propose that c-Mpl gain-of-function mutations exert their effect by predominantly activating either the PI3K/m-TOR and Stat3/5 or the ERK signaling pathways and that the predominant activation of PI3K/m-TOR and Stat3/5 correlates with the propensity to induce malignancy. Furthermore, THPO clearance and maintenance of the negative feedback loop regulating THPO plasma levels, but not signaling activity of the c-Mpl receptor necessarily require proper glycosylation, intracellular trafficking and cell surface expression.