Diverse and targetable kinase alterations drive histiocytic neoplasms

Abstract

Histiocytic neoplasms are clonal, hematopoietic disorders characterized by an accumulation of abnormal, monocyte-derived dendritic cells or macrophages in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (non-LCH), respectively. The discovery of BRAFV600E mutations in approximately 50% of these patients provided the first molecular therapeutic target in histiocytosis. However, recurrent driving mutations in the majority of patients with BRAFV600E–wild-type non-LCH are unknown, and recurrent cooperating mutations in non-MAP kinase pathways are undefined for the histiocytic neoplasms. Through combined whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing, we identified recurrent kinase fusions involving BRAF, ALK, and NTRK1, as well as recurrent, activating MAP2K1 and ARAF mutations in patients with BRAFV600E–wild-type non- LCH. In addition to MAP kinase pathway lesions, recurrently altered genes involving diverse cellular pathways were identified. Treatment of patients with MAP2K1 - and ARAF -mutated non-LCH using MEK and RAF inhibitors, respectively, resulted in clinical efficacy, demonstrating the importance of detecting and targeting diverse kinase alterations in these disorders.SIGNIFICANCE: We provide the fi rst description of kinase fusions in systemic histiocytic neoplasms and activating ARAF and MAP2K1 mutations in non-Langerhans histiocytic neoplasms. Refractory patients with MAP2K1 - and ARAF -mutant histiocytoses had clinical responses to MEK inhibition and sorafenib, respectively, highlighting the importance of comprehensive genomic analysis of these disorders.