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. 1993 Jun 15;90(12):5752–5756. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.12.5752

Ewing sarcoma 11;22 translocation produces a chimeric transcription factor that requires the DNA-binding domain encoded by FLI1 for transformation.

W A May 1, M L Gishizky 1, S L Lessnick 1, L B Lunsford 1, B C Lewis 1, O Delattre 1, J Zucman 1, G Thomas 1, C T Denny 1
PMCID: PMC46800  PMID: 8516324

Abstract

The 11;22 chromosomal translocation specifically linked to Ewing sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor results in a chimeric molecule fusing the amino-terminal-encoding portion of the EWS gene to the carboxyl-terminal DNA-binding domain encoded by the FLI1 gene. We have isolated a fourth EWS-FLI1 fusion cDNA that is structurally distinct from the three forms previously described. To determine the transforming activity of this gene, alternative forms of the EWS-FLI1 fusion were transduced into NIH 3T3 cells. Cells expressing either type 1 or type 4 fusion constructs formed foci in culture and colonies in soft agar, indicating that EWS-FLI1 is a transforming gene. EWS-FLI1 deletion mutants were created to map functionally the critical regions within the chimera. Deletion of either the EWS domain or the FLI1 corresponding to the DNA-binding domain totally abrogated the ability for EWS-FLI1 to transform 3T3 cells. These data indicate that the oncogenic effect of the 11;22 translocation is caused by the formation of a chimeric transcription factor. Formation of chimeric transcription factors has now been demonstrated to promote tumors of both neuroectodermal and hematopoietic origin, suggesting that this may be a common mechanism in human carcinogenesis.

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