Chromothripsis-associated chromosome 21 amplification orchestrates transformation to blast-phase MPN through targetable overexpression of DYRK1A.

Nature genetics
Authors
Abstract

Chromothripsis, the chaotic shattering and repair of chromosomes, is common in cancer. Whether chromothripsis generates actionable therapeutic targets remains an open question. In a cohort of 64 patients in blast phase of a myeloproliferative neoplasm (BP-MPN), we describe recurrent amplification of a region of chromosome 21q ('chr. 21amp') in 25%, driven by chromothripsis in a third of these cases. We report that chr. 21amp BP-MPN has a particularly aggressive and treatment-resistant phenotype. DYRK1A, a serine threonine kinase, is the only gene in the 2.7-megabase minimally amplified region that showed both increased expression and chromatin accessibility compared with non-chr. 21amp BP-MPN controls. DYRK1A is a central node at the nexus of multiple cellular functions critical for BP-MPN development and is essential for BP-MPN cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and represents a druggable axis. Collectively, these findings define chr. 21amp as a prognostic biomarker in BP-MPN, and link chromothripsis to a therapeutic target.

Year of Publication
2025
Journal
Nature genetics
Volume
57
Issue
6
Pages
1478-1492
Date Published
06/2025
ISSN
1546-1718
DOI
10.1038/s41588-025-02190-6
PubMed ID
40490510
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