Identification of a disease-defining gene fusion in epithelioid hemangioendothelioma

MR Tanas, A Sboner, AM Oliveira… - Science translational …, 2011 - science.org
MR Tanas, A Sboner, AM Oliveira, MR Erickson-Johnson, J Hespelt, PJ Hanwright…
Science translational medicine, 2011science.org
Integrating transcriptomic sequencing with conventional cytogenetics, we identified WWTR1
(WW domain–containing transcription regulator 1)(3q25) and CAMTA1 (calmodulin-binding
transcription activator 1)(1p36) as the two genes involved in the t (1; 3)(p36; q25)
chromosomal translocation that is characteristic of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma
(EHE), a vascular sarcoma. This WWTR1/CAMTA1 gene fusion is under the transcriptional
control of the WWTR1 promoter and encodes a putative chimeric transcription factor that …
Integrating transcriptomic sequencing with conventional cytogenetics, we identified WWTR1 (WW domain–containing transcription regulator 1) (3q25) and CAMTA1 (calmodulin-binding transcription activator 1) (1p36) as the two genes involved in the t(1;3)(p36;q25) chromosomal translocation that is characteristic of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE), a vascular sarcoma. This WWTR1/CAMTA1 gene fusion is under the transcriptional control of the WWTR1 promoter and encodes a putative chimeric transcription factor that joins the amino terminus of WWTR1, a protein that is highly expressed in endothelial cells, in-frame to the carboxyl terminus of CAMTA1, a protein that is normally expressed only in brain. Thus, CAMTA1 expression is activated inappropriately through a promoter-switch mechanism. The gene fusion is present in virtually all EHEs tested but is absent from all other vascular neoplasms, demonstrating it to be a disease-defining genetic alteration. A sensitive and specific break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization assay was also developed to detect the translocation and will assist in the evaluation of this diagnostically challenging neoplasm. The chimeric WWTR1/CAMTA1 transcription factor may represent a therapeutic target for EHE and offers the opportunity to shed light on the functions of two poorly characterized proteins.
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