p14ARF nuclear overexpression in aggressive B-cell lymphomas is a sensor of malfunction of the common tumor suppressor pathways

Abstract

p14ARF, the alternative product from the human INK4a/ARF locus, antagonizes Hdm2 and mediates p53 activation in response to oncogenic stimuli. An immunohistochemical study of p14ARF expression in 74 samples of aggressive B-cell lymphomas was performed, demonstrating an array of different abnormalities. A distinct nucleolar expression pattern was detected in nontumoral tissue and a sub-set of lymphomas (50/74). In contrast, a group of cases (8/74) showed absence of p14ARF expression, dependent either on promoter hypermethylation or gene loss. Additionally, 16 out of 74 cases displayed an abnormal nuclear p14ARF overexpression not confined to the nucleoli, as confirmed by confocal microscopy, and that was associated with high levels of p53 and Hdm2. A genetic study of these cases failed to show any alteration in the p14ARF gene, but revealed the presence of p53 mutations in over 50% of these cases. An increased growth fraction and a more aggressive clinical course, with a shortened survival time, also characterized the group of tumors with p14ARF nuclear overexpression. Moreover, this p14ARF expression pattern was more frequent in tumors displaying accumulated alterations in the p53, p16INK4a, and p27KIP1 tumor supressors. These observations, together with the consideration of the central role of p14ARF in cell cycle control, suggest that p14ARF abnormal nuclear overexpression is a sensor of malfunction of the major cell cycle regulatory pathways, and consequently a marker of a high tumor aggressivity. © 2002 by The American Society of Hematology.