Identification of recurrent NAB2-STAT6 gene fusions in solitary fibrous tumor by integrative sequencing

Nat Genet. 2013 Feb;45(2):180-5. doi: 10.1038/ng.2509. Epub 2013 Jan 13.

Abstract

A 44-year old woman with recurrent solitary fibrous tumor (SFT)/hemangiopericytoma was enrolled in a clinical sequencing program including whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing. A gene fusion of the transcriptional repressor NAB2 with the transcriptional activator STAT6 was detected. Transcriptome sequencing of 27 additional SFTs identified the presence of a NAB2-STAT6 gene fusion in all tumors. Using RT-PCR and sequencing, we detected this fusion in all 51 SFTs, indicating high levels of recurrence. Expression of NAB2-STAT6 fusion proteins was confirmed in SFT, and the predicted fusion products harbor the early growth response (EGR)-binding domain of NAB2 fused to the activation domain of STAT6. Overexpression of the NAB2-STAT6 gene fusion induced proliferation in cultured cells and activated the expression of EGR-responsive genes. These studies establish NAB2-STAT6 as the defining driver mutation of SFT and provide an example of how neoplasia can be initiated by converting a transcriptional repressor of mitogenic pathways into a transcriptional activator.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Base Sequence
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Exome / genetics
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Gene Fusion / genetics*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Luciferases
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional / genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor / genetics*
  • Solitary Fibrous Tumors / genetics*
  • Transcriptome / genetics

Substances

  • NAB2 protein, human
  • Repressor Proteins
  • STAT6 Transcription Factor
  • STAT6 protein, human
  • Luciferases