Genes significantly differentially expressed at the transcript and/or exon level in SF3B1 mutant compared with wild-type cases include genes that are involved in MDS pathogenesis (ASXL1 and CBL), iron homeostasis and mitochondrial metabolism (ALAS2, ABCB7 and SLC25A37) and RNA splicing/processing (PRPF8 and HNRNPD).
Recent studies are shedding light on the molecular basis of myelodysplasia and how mutations and epimutations can induce and promote this neoplastic process through aberrant transcription factor function (RUNX1, ETV6, TP53), kinase signalling (FLT3, NRAS, KIT, CBL) and epigenetic deregulation (TET2, IDH1/2, DNMT3A, EZH2, ASXL1, SF3B1, U2AF1, SRSF2, ZRSR2).
Because detailed clinical and hematological characteristics of CBL-mutated cases is lacking, we screened 156 BCR-ABL and JAK2 V617F negative patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and overlap syndromes between myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and MPN (MPS/MPN) for mutations in exons 8 and 9 of CBL by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and direct sequencing.
The presence of CBL mutations and 11q-aUPD was an important "second hit" that could be an indicator of leukemic transformation of MDS or AML in patients with FPD/AML.
Accordingly, in addition to classical oncogenic abnormalities, such as p53 abnormalities, or NRAS mutation, various molecular abnormalities, such as TET2, RPS14, or c-CBL, have been identified and/or proposed as the novel candidates for molecular basis of the development and progression of MDS.
CBL missense mutations have recently been associated with juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML), an aggressive myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic neoplasm of early childhood characterised by excessive macrophage/monocyte proliferation.
The cDNA of 300 acute myeloid leukemia (AML)/myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and 82 human leukemic cell lines was screened for aberrations in the linker and RING finger domain of CBL.