Subclonal IDH1/2 Mutations as a Targetable Vulnerability in Vascular Tumors

Despite extensive sequencing, the genetic etiology of sporadic angiosarcoma remains poorly defined (1-3). Maffucci syndrome, characterized by vascular tumors and elevated cancer risk, is driven by mosaic gain-of-function mutations in IDH1/2 (4,5), though these have not been reported in sporadic angiosarcoma. We identify recurrent, low-variant allele frequency hotspot mutations in IDH1/2 in over half of sporadic angiosarcomas. Mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing and immunohistochemistry. Mutant IDH1 endothelial cells promote tumorigenesis through non-cell-autonomous mechanisms, secreting 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) to increase growth factor and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition gene expression, activate pAkt/pERK signaling, induce DNA methylation changes, and promote anchorage-independent growth, which are reversed by the mutant IDH1 inhibitor ivosidenib. Patients with mosaic IDH1 mutations show reduced serum 2-HG and marked tumor regression following ivosidenib treatment. The clinical efficacy of ivosidenib in vascular tumors with subclonal IDH1 mutations suggests that low VAF IDH1/2 mutations may be a targetable vulnerability in sporadic angiosarcoma. (6,7).

We identify recurrent, low-VAF IDH1/2 mutations in angiosarcoma and provide evidence that these subclonal mutations promote tumorigenesis through non-cell-autonomous mechanisms. Vascular tumors driven by subclonal IDH1 mutations responded dramatically to ivosidenib, thus revealing a novel treatment for a subset of vascular tumors.