BRD4-NUT fusion oncogene: a novel mechanism in aggressive carcinoma
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Updated: Sep 27, 2026

Silencing of BRCA2 to Identify Novel BRCA2-regulated Biological Functions in Cultured Human Cells
Published on: August 12, 2015
Christopher A French1, Isao Miyoshi, Ichiro Kubonishi
1Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. cfrench@partners.org
Abstract:
The poorly differentiated carcinoma with t(15;19)(q13, p13.1) is characterized by its highly aggressive, invariably lethal clinical course. The chromosome 19 translocation breakpoint targets the BRD4 double bromodomain-containing gene, which functions in regulation of cell cycle progression. Herein we demonstrate that BRD4 is fused with nearly the entire transcript of the novel 15q13 gene, NUT (nuclear protein in testis), forming a 6.4-kb fusion oncogene, BRD4-NUT. NUT, like BRD4, is predicted to encode a nuclear protein but, unlike the ubiquitous BRD4 transcript, is expressed only in testis. These findings establish a model to elucidate the oncogenic consequences of unscheduled NUT expression and altered BRD4 function. Very few fusion oncogenes have been identified in epithelial tumors, and BRD4-NUT is the first fusion oncogene mechanism identified in a highly lethal form of carcinoma.
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