/ Fusion Gene Abrogation Decreases the Oncogenicity of Tumour Cells in a Preclinical Model of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Background: The t(12;21)(p13;q22), which fuses and genes, is the most common genetic abnormality in children with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The implication of the fusion protein in leukemogenesis seems to be clear. However, its role in the maintenance of the disease continues to be controversial.

Methods: Generation of an / knock out model using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system. Functional characterization by RNA sequencing, proliferation assays, apoptosis and pharmacologic studies, and generation of edited-cell xenograft model.

Results: The expression of / fusion gene was completely eliminated, thus generating a powerful model on which to study the role of the fusion gene in leukemic cells. The loss of fusion gene expression led to the deregulation of biological processes affecting survival such as apoptosis resistance and cell proliferation capacity. Tumour cells showed higher levels of apoptosis, lower proliferation rate and a greater sensitivity to PI3K inhibitors along as a decrease in tumour growth in xenografts models after / fusion gene abrogation.

Conclusions: ETV6/RUNX1 fusion protein seems to play an important role in the maintenance of the leukemic phenotype and could thus become a potential therapeutic target.