The Nup98::Nsd1 fusion gene induces CD123 expression in 32D cells

The NUP98::NSD1 fusion gene is associated with extremely poor prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). NUP98::NSD1 induces self-renewal and blocks differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells, leading to leukemia development. Despite its association with poor prognosis, targeted therapy for NUP98::NSD1-positive AML is lacking, as the details of NUP98::NSD1 function are unknown. Here, we generated 32D cells (a murine interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent myeloid progenitor cell line) expressing mouse Nup98::Nsd1 to explore the function of NUP98::NSD1 in AML, including by comprehensive gene expression analysis. We identified two properties of Nup98::Nsd1+ 32D cells in vitro: first, Nup98::Nsd1 promoted blocking of AML cell differentiation, consistent with a previous report; second, Nup98::Nsd1 increased dependence on IL-3 for cell proliferation, due to overexpression of the alpha subunit of the IL-3 receptor (IL3-RA, also known as CD123). Consistent with our in vitro data, IL3-RA was also up-regulated in samples from patients with NUP98::NSD1-positive AML. These results highlight CD123 as a potential new therapeutic target in NUP98::NSD1-positive AML. We compared gene expression profiling of Nup98::Nsd1+ 32D and mock-transduced 32D cells using a GeneChip™ Mouse Genome 430 2.0 Array to explore the function of NUP98::NSD1 in AML, including by comprehensive gene expression analysis.