Constitutive control of AKT-1 gene expression by JUNB / CJUN in ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma: a novel crosstalk mechanism

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive (ALK+) anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an aggressive T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by the t(2;5) resulting in overexpression of NPM-ALK, which is known to activate the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathway resulting in cell cycle and apoptosis deregulation. ALK+ ALCL is also characterized by strong AP-1 activity and overexpression of two AP-1 transcription factors, CJUN and JUNB. Here, we hypothesized that a biologic link between AP-1 and AKT kinase may exist, thus contributing to ALCL oncogenesis. We show that JUNB and cJUN bind directly to the AKT1 promoter, inducing AKT1 transcription in ALK+ ALCL. Knockdown of JUNB and CJUN in ALK+ ALCL cell lines downregulated AKT1 mRNA and promoter activity and was associated with lower AKT1 protein expression and activation. We provide evidence that this is a transcriptional control mechanism shared by other cell types even though it may operate in a way that is cell context specific. In addition, STAT3-induced control of AKT1 transcription was functional in ALK+ ALCL and blocking of STAT3 and AP-1 signaling synergistically affected cell proliferation and colony formation. Our findings uncover a novel transcriptional crosstalk mechanism that links AP-1 and AKT kinase, which coordinate uncontrolled cell proliferation and survival in ALK+ ALCL.