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Rockefeller University Press, Journal of Experimental Medicine, 9(213), p. 1705-1722, 2016

DOI: 10.1084/jem.20150983

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BCL-B (BCL2L10) is overexpressed in patients suffering from multiple myeloma (MM) and drives an MM-like disease in transgenic mice

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Multiple myeloma (MM) evolves from a premalignant condition known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). However, the factors underlying the malignant transformation of plasmocytes in MM are not fully characterized. We report here that Eµ-directed expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-B protein in mice drives an MM phenotype that reproduces accurately the human disease. Indeed, with age, Eµ-bcl-b transgenic mice develop the characteristic features of human MM, including bone malignant plasma cell infiltration, a monoclonal immunoglobulin peak, immunoglobulin deposit in renal tubules, and highly characteristic bone lytic lesions. In addition, the tumors are serially transplantable in irradiated wild-type mice, underlying the tumoral origin of the disease. Eµ-bcl-b plasmocytes show increased expression of a panel of genes known to be dysregulated in human MM pathogenesis. Treatment of Eµ-bcl-b mice with drugs currently used to treat patients such as melphalan and VELCADE efficiently kills malignant plasmocytes in vivo. Finally, we find that Bcl-B is overexpressed in plasmocytes from MM patients but neither in MGUS patients nor in healthy individuals, suggesting that Bcl-B may drive MM. These findings suggest that Bcl-B could be an important factor in MM disease and pinpoint Eµ-bcl-b mice as a pertinent model to validate new therapies in MM. ; Ligue nationale contre le cancer (France) (Equipe Labellisée Grant R08001AA) ; Fondation de France (Grant R08080AA) ; Fondation ARC pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (Grant PGA120140200777) ; Fondation ARC pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (Project 2015–2016) ; French Research National Agency (Grant ANR-11-LABX-0028-01)