Novel ZEB2-BCL11B fusion gene identified by RNA-sequencing in acute myeloid leukemia with t(2;14)(q22;q32)

Abstract

RNA-sequencing of a case of acute myeloid leukemia with the bone marrow karyotype 46, XY,t(2;14)(q22;q32)[5]/47,XY,idem,+?4,del(6)(q13q21)[cp6]/46,XY[4] showed that the t (2;14) generated a ZEB2-BCL11B chimera in which exon 2 of ZEB2 (nucleotide 595 in the sequence with accession number NM-014795.3) was fused to exon 2 of BCL11B (nucleotide 554 in the sequence with accession number NM-022898.2). RT-PCR together with Sanger sequencing verified the presence of the above-mentioned fusion transcript. All functional domains of BCL11B are retained in the chimeric protein. Abnormal expression of BCL11B coding regions subjected to control by the ZEB2 promoter seems to be the leukemogenic mechanism behind the translocation.