Cancer-associated mutations in VAV1 trigger variegated signaling outputs and drive T cell lymphomagenesis

Mutations in VAV1, a multifunctional signaling protein essential for T lymphocytes, have been recently found in peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) and other tumors. However, their pathobiological significance remains unsettled. Here, we show that these mutations belong to several subclasses according to the spectra of VAV1 signaling branches deregulated by them. These mutations target both known and new regulatory hotspots as well as transitional activation states of the protein. The most frequent VAV1 mutant subclass drives PTCL formation in mice by exacerbating normal VAV1- dependent signaling responses in follicular helper T cells. CD4+ T cells expressing either GFP or oncogenic Vav1 were introduced in immunocompromised mice and analyzed 6 months later.