High Expression of ZBTB7A at Diagnosis Associated with Inferior Outcome in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients Receiving Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Authors: Grimm Juliane , Jentzsch Madlen , Bill Marius , Schulz Julia , Schubert Karoline , Beinicke Stefanie , Haentschel Janine , Schuhmann Luba , Cross Michael , Vucinic Vladan , Poenisch Wolfram , Behre Gerhard , Franke Georg-Nikolaus , Niederwieser Dietger , Schwind Sebastian 
Published: October 2019

Introduction: The transcription factor ZBTB7A regulates early differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors & has been associated with oncogenic as well as oncosuppressive functions. While it was shown that ectopic overexpression of Zbtb7a in immature lymphocytes leads to the development of an aggressive T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia, high ZBTB7A expression in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) is associated with improved outcomes. Furthermore, recently a leukemogenic cooperation between RUNX1/RUNX1T1 & ZBTB7A mutations in t(8;21)-associated AML was suggested.

Here, we further evaluated the complex role of ZBTB7A expression in hematopoietic malignancies by assessing its potential prognostic impact in AML pts undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after non-myeloablative conditioning (NMA).

Methods: We analyzed bone marrow (BM) at diagnosis of 140 pts (median age 63 years [y], range 37-75y) treated at our institution between 2000 & 2015. All pts received NMA conditioning (3x30mg/m2 Fludarabine on days -4 to -1 & 2Gy total body irradiation) followed by HSCT in complete remission with (CR; n=111; 79.3%) or without peripheral hematological recovery (CRi; n=29; 20.7%). Median follow-up for pts alive was 3.5y.

Our cohort included pts with CN-AML (n=62, 44.3%), complex karyotype (n=17; P=12.1%) & other cytogenetic abnormalities (n=61; 43.6%). At diagnosis mutations in the genes CEBPA, DNMT3A, IDH1, IDH2, NPM1 & the presence of FLT3-ITD were determined. In diagnostic BM cytogenetics were analyzed using standard techniques for banding & fluorescence in-situ hybridization & the expression of common surface markers was analyzed using flow cytometry. The expression of ZBTB7A was assessed using quantitative RT-PCR & normalized to ABL1 as internal control. As a cut-off the third quartile of normalized gene expression was identified to group high & low ZBTB7A expressers.

Results: At diagnosis pts with a high ZBTB7A expression more often had a complex karyotype (P=.02) & were less likely to have core-binding factor AML by trend (P=.18). Additionally, high ZBTB7A levels associated with significantly fewer blasts in peripheral blood (P=.008) & BM (P=.02). The BM mononuclear cells in high ZBTB7A expressers were to a smaller extent positive for myeloid markers (CD38 P=.03; CD33 P=.11; CD13 P=.13) & exhibited a higher percentage of erythroid (Glycophorin A P=.03) as well as monocytic (CD11b P=.04; CD14 P=.01) surface markers. We did not find any statistical associations between ZBTB7A levels & the mutation status of NPM1, CEBPA, IDH1, DNMT3A or the presence of FLT3-ITD. Yet, there was a trend for more IDH2 mutations in the group of high ZBTB7A expressers (P=.18).

At diagnosis a high expression of ZBTB7A associated with a significantly higher cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR; P=.002, Figure 1A). This finding also translated into a significantly shorter overall survival (OS; P=.01; Figure 1B) for AML pts with high ZBTB7A levels at diagnosis. When we restricted our analyses to CN-AML, high ZBTB7A expression remained a negative prognostic factor by trend (CIR P=.16; OS P=.11).

Conclusion: Expression of ZBTB7A associated with distinct biological features & surface marker pattern in AML. This underlines the results of recent studies which identified ZBTB7A as a novel player in leukemogenesis. However, our findings are in contrast with the previously shown favorable prognostic impact of high ZBTB7A levels in a CN-AML cohort mainly treated with chemotherapy. In contract all pts included in our studies were consolidated with NMA-HSCT. Since this treatment regimen is mainly based on the graft versus leukemia effect a high ZBTB7A expression could potentially interfere with the immunological recognition of the AML blasts resulting in a reduced response to NMA-HSCT.

Consequently, future functional studies & clinical trials should aim at further characterize the complex role of ZBTB7A in AML.

Figure Figure.

Disclosures

Poenisch: Mundipharma: Research Funding.