Abstract 5209: Characterization of an isogenic model system for KDM6A/UTX loss in multiple myeloma.
Authors: Allen Kristi , Yellapantula Venkata , Zhao Quan , Edwards David , Chesi Marta , Bergsagel Leif , Carpten John , Keats Jonathan 
Published: August 2014

The gene KDM6A/UTX was recently identified as a putative tumor suppressor (van Haaften et al). The gene is frequently lost in a variety of malignancies but most commonly in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (8%) and multiple myeloma (10%). The initial characterization of UTX abnormalities in multiple myeloma utilized a mixture of 58 cell lines and patient samples. To establish the frequency of UTX inactivation in multiple myeloma we studied the copy number profiling dataset (n=239) available from the Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative (MMGI) and our internal dataset of 68 human myeloma cell lines which were characterized by array-based CGH (Agilent 400k), whole exome sequencing, and mRNA sequencing. We identified homozygous deletions in 2.5% of patients and 26.5% of cell lines. There are no mutations in the available whole genome and exome sequencing data from 38 patients in the MMGI that partially overlaps the 239 copy number samples sequencing. However, in the cell lines another 14.3% of samples showed loss of UTX through a variety of mechanisms (missense, nonsense, frameshifts, single exon deletions and insertions of LINE elements) detected by exome and mRNA sequencing, bringing the total percentage of cell lines with UTX inactivation to 40.8%. The increased frequency of UTX inactivation in cell lines likely suggests that it is associated with a more aggressive disease or promotes the growth of the tumor outside of the normal bone marrow microenvironment.

As part of the cell line characterization phase of the project we found that ARD has a homozygous deletion encompassing the entire UTX locus while its isogenic counterparts, ARP-1 and CAG, express wild-type UTX at a level comparable to other cell lines without UTX abnormalities. To ensure these isogenic cell lines represent the same tumor not different tumors from the same individual we cloned the immunoglobulin receptor rearrangements in all there lines, which confirmed these are derived from the same original tumor. To develop this model system we first generated single cell clones from each of the three cell lines. Six clones from each were randomly selected and their DNA content was determined by flow cytometry. In all cases the clones matched the parental population in ploidy (ARD 3.2N, ARP 3.3N, CAG 3.8N). We randomly select one subclone from each cell line to characterize in detail using spectral karyotyping, array-based CGH, whole exome sequencing, mRNA sequencing, and CHIP-seq for H3K4me3, H3K27ac, H3K27me1, H3K27me2, and H3K27me3. The detailed characterization of this isogenic model system will make it an excellent platform for future work aimed at understanding how UTX loss contributes to myelomagenesis.

Citation Format: Kristi Allen, Venkata Yellapantula, Quan Zhao, David Edwards, Marta Chesi, Leif Bergsagel, John Carpten, Jonathan Keats. Characterization of an isogenic model system for KDM6A/UTX loss in multiple myeloma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5209. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5209