5G2 mutant mice model loss of a commonly deleted segment of chromosome 7q22 in myeloid malignancies

Abstract

Monosomy 7 and del(7q) are among the most common and poorly understood genetic alterations in myelodysplastic neoplasms and acute myeloid leukemia. Chromosome band 7q22 is a minimally deleted segment in myeloid malignancies with a del(7q). However, the rarity of "second hit" mutations supports the idea that del(7q22) represents a contiguous gene syndrome. We generated mice harboring a 1.5 Mb germline deletion of chromosome band 5G2 syntenic to human 7q22 that removes Cux1 and 27 additional genes. Hematopoiesis is perturbed in 5G2^+/del mice but they do not spontaneously develop hematologic disease. Whereas alkylator exposure modestly accelerated tumor development, the 5G2 deletion did not cooperate with Kras^G12D, Nras^G12D, or the MOL4070LTR retrovirus in leukemogenesis. 5G2^+/del mice are a novel platform for interrogating the role of hemopoietic stem cell attrition/stress, cooperating mutations, genotoxins, and inflammation in myeloid malignancies characterized by monosomy 7/del(7q).