Nf1 deficiency cooperates with oncogenic K-RAS to induce acute myeloid leukemia in mice

Hyperactive RAS signaling is caused by mutations in RAS genes or a deficiency of the neurofibromatosis gene (NF1) and is common in myeloid malignancies. In mice, expression of oncogenic K-RAS or inactivation of Nf1 in hematopoietic cells results in myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) that do not progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Because NF1 is a RAS-GTPase-activating protein it has been proposed that NF1 deficiency is functionally equivalent to an oncogenic RAS. It is not clear, however, whether Nf1 deficiency would be redundant in K-RAS-induced MPD development or whether the 2 mutations would cooperate in leukemogenesis. Here, we show that the simultaneous inactivation of Nf1 and expression of K-RAS(G12D) in mouse hematopoietic cells results in AML that was fatal in primary mice within 4 weeks and transplantable to sublethally irradiated secondary recipients. The data point to a strong cooperation between Nf1 deficiency and oncogenic K-RAS.