Volume 206, Issue 2 pp. 505-516
ORIGINAL PAPER

HOPX as a tumour-suppressive protein in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Chien-Chin Lin

Corresponding Author

Chien-Chin Lin

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Graduate Institute of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and Medical Biotechnology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence

Chien-Chin Lin and Wen-Chien Chou, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan S. Rd., Taipei 10002, Taiwan.

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

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Chia-Lang Hsu

Chia-Lang Hsu

Department of Medical Research, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Graduate Institute of Oncology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Chi-Yuan Yao

Chi-Yuan Yao

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Yu-Hung Wang

Yu-Hung Wang

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Chang-Tsu Yuan

Chang-Tsu Yuan

Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan

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Yuan-Yeh Kuo

Yuan-Yeh Kuo

Tai-Cheng Stem Cell Therapy Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

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Jhih-Yi Lee

Jhih-Yi Lee

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Pin-Tsen Shih

Pin-Tsen Shih

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Chein-Jun Kao

Chein-Jun Kao

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Po-Han Chuang

Po-Han Chuang

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Yueh-Chwen Hsu

Yueh-Chwen Hsu

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Hsin-An Hou

Hsin-An Hou

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

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Wen-Chien Chou

Corresponding Author

Wen-Chien Chou

Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence

Chien-Chin Lin and Wen-Chien Chou, Department of Laboratory Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, No. 7, Chung-Shan S. Rd., Taipei 10002, Taiwan.

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

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Hwei-Fang Tien

Hwei-Fang Tien

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan

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First published: 30 December 2024

[Correction added on 14 February 2025, after first online publication: The subcategory has been changed.]

Summary

The homeodomain protein homeobox (HOPX), a multifaceted regulator of cellular functions and developmental processes, is predominantly expressed in stem cells across diverse tissues; it has also emerged as a tumour suppressor in various solid cancers. However, its role in haematological malignancies still remains undefined. This study aimed to elucidate its significance in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). We firstly uncovered a novel link between reduced HOPX expression, its promoter hypermethylation and increased tumour burden in patients with T-ALL, suggesting its tumour-suppressive role. Next, we induced T-ALL by transducing intracellular NOTCH1 (ICN1) into mice with either conditional knock-in at the Rosa26 locus or knockout of Hopx. We found that T-ALL development was markedly accelerated and impeded in backgrounds with low and high Hopx expression respectively. Further analysis revealed Hopx's roles in modulating the Wnt-β-catenin pathway, a pivotal regulator of the downstream Myc signalling involved in T-ALL transformation and progression.

Graphical Abstract

We firstly uncovered a novel link between reduced HOPX expression, its promoter hypermethylation and increased tumour burden in patients with T-ALL, suggesting its tumour-suppressive role. Next, we induced T-ALL by transducing intracellular NOTCH1 (ICN1) into mice with either conditional knock-in at the Rosa26 locus or knockout of Hopx. We found that T-ALL development was markedly accelerated and impeded in backgrounds with low and high Hopx expression respectively. Further analysis revealed Hopx's roles in modulating the Wnt-β-catenin pathway, a pivotal regulator of the downstream Myc signalling involved in T-ALL transformation and progression.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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